Refer a Patient: Headache Center

Contact Us

Note: To be accepted by the Headache Center, patients will have to provide the names of all primary care providers and neurologists who are active in their care and confirm that they're not being actively evaluated for new neurological disease or taking daily opioid medications.

To refer a patient who resides in the United States, you have two options:

1. Use MD Link, our secure portal for physicians.
2. Download our referral form, complete it and fax it to the clinic.

Download referral form

In addition, please fax these to the clinic:

• Your patient's name, address, and phone number
• Radiology imaging reports (if any)
• Medical notes describing your patient's headache condition, past treatments, and medications taken
• A copy of your patient's insurance card, front and back
• Insurance authorization for the clinic visit, if required

If you need assistance, please give us a call.

Telemedicine consultations

The UCSF Headache Center provides virtual consultations for patients in our region, as well as nationally and internationally. All we require is a referral, recent medical records from the primary medical or neurological team, and insurance information.

Patients are seen virtually by Dr. Levin or one of his associates. After the appointment, we'll send a complete consultation note with detailed recommendations for diagnostic testing (if warranted) and specific management suggestions, including medications, pain procedures and neuromodulation techniques.

Call (415) 353-8393 to make an appointment.

Inpatient headache care

For very refractory cases, inpatient infusion therapy (using dihydroergotamine, chlorpromazine or divalproex) can be effective. Patients are admitted to Mount Zion hospital's headache treatment unit for a four- or five-day course, depending on the chosen medication.