How to complete a Booking Assistance Form when your patient needs accommodation
Contents Overview:
(click a section to jump ahead)
- Helpful details to have ready
- Selecting a location to book
- Accessing MediStays best rates
- Arranging the length of stay
- Tips for timing & scheduling
- Ensuring accessibility features
- Managing car parking requirements
- Accessing & approving funding
- Preferences and extra support
Does your patient, their family or carers need accommodation near a hospital?
MediStays makes it easy for hospital staff, including social workers and nurses, to book trusted accommodation for patients and families. Whether you work in a tertiary hospital providing medical care for country patients, or support a local patient needing to travel for medical care, MediStays are here to assist.
We provide a nationwide service connecting patients and carers with trusted accommodation near hospitals and medical centres. MediStays gives you peace of mind that we are here to support you patient and access the best rates on their behalf. We can also provide bulk-billing for patients eligible to claim patient travel subsidies.
To get started, simply complete our two minute referral form and a MediStays Care Navigator will take care of the rest!
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Helpful details to have ready
How do I refer my patient or carer to MediStays for outpatient accommodation?
Let’s start with your details.
The first steps are:
- Your name
- The hospital or organisation you work for
- Your contact email
- Your phone number
Who should MediStays contact to make the booking?
You have two options here.
Option 1: The first option is to select yourself. Simply choose the drop-down menu item “Please liaise with me”. MediStays will contact you, as you will be acting on behalf of your patient and will receive all correspondence including quotations and booking confirmations.
Option 2: You also have the option to select the patient or their guardian.
If you select this option, we will contact your patient or their guardian directly. If you would like to included in correspondence, please include a comment at the end of this form.
Does MediStays require the patient’s details?
For referrals to MediStays, we request you to include the patient’s name or a unique identifier. MediStays receives a high volume of referrals, and this ensures we are referring to the correct patient.
You may also wish to include the patient’s email and phone number, especially if you have requested us to liaise with them directly. This can also be helpful if we need to contact them on the day of their arrival.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Selecting a location to book
What is the accommodation location?
For patients needing accommodation near the hospital, proximity is usually the number 1 priority. Please include the name of the hospital the patient or carers will be attending. The suburb/town and state are also helpful to know, as many hospitals have multiple campuses.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: MediStays Best Rates
May I request rates for a specific property?
Yes – MediStays has access to special private rates for most properties listed in our website. Although we are unable to publish these rates publicly, when you submit a request form we will confirm our rates via email or formal quotation.
Depending on how long your patient or carers will be staying, MediStays can save up to ~ 50% off the lowest public rates.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Length of Stay
How long can I book accommodation near the hospital for my patient?
Please use the best estimate for dates that you are aware of at the time. We understand that things happen out of your control. The length of bookings is flexible and MediStays Care Navigators will support you to achieve the best outcome for your patient. Any extra information around timing, please comment at the end of this form. This might include ‘awaiting surgery date’ or ‘discharge date unknown’.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Timing & Scheduling
Can my patient arrive any day of the week?
Yes, MediStays can book accommodation arrivals and departures for every day of the week.
If your patient is being discharged from hospital, we highly recommend arrival between Tuesday to Thursday. Keeping Monday free means that their Assistive Technology (AT) can be delivered and set-up, allowing for a stress-free arrival on the Tuesday. Wednesdays and Thursdays are also perfect, allowing plenty of time either side for arrival.
Hospital Accommodation Tips: Ensuring Accessibility Features
How do I book accommodation with the right accessibility for my patient?
MediStays offers four categories of accessibility for people on a medical journey. These categories only refer to physical accessibility, not other categories such as visual or auditory.
How do I book standard accommodation for my patient who does not require physical accessible features?
MediStays has a broad range of accommodation to support patients and carers who are ambulant and not requiring accessible features.
Simply select the option in the drop-down menu “standard accommodation”.
How do I book accommodation for my patient who uses a walker or has just had an operation?
MediStays has a broad range of accommodation to support patients requiring easy access accommodation. We refer to this category as Access 1. These properties will be step-free and include a standard or walk-in shower. This is the most common request for patients needing accommodation near hospitals.
Simply select the option in the drop-down menu “Access 1: accommodation with easy access”.
How do I book accommodation for my patient who uses a wheelchair and will be staying on their own?
MediStays has a limited range of accommodation to support patients who use a wheelchair and will be staying independently. We refer to this category as Access 2. All features and facilities in these properties are fully wheelchair accessible, including roll-in bathrooms as well as height-adjusted kitchens (in self-contained properties).
Simply select the option in the drop-down menu “Access 2: accommodation that is fully wheelchair accessible for a patient staying on their own”.
How do I book accommodation for my patient who uses a wheelchair and will be staying with informal or formal carers?
MediStays has a broad range of accommodation to support patients staying with the support of formal or informal carers. We refer to this category as Access 3. Most features and facilities in these properties are fully wheelchair accessible, including roll-in bathrooms.
The main difference from Access 2, is that Access 3 properties do not include height-adjusted kitchens (in self-contained properties). These properties are perfect for guests requiring hospital style bathrooms and who have support to assist with daily living, such as meal preparation and personal laundry.
Simply select the option in the drop-down menu “Access 3: accommodation that is fully wheelchair accessible for a patient staying with supports”.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Car Parking Requirements
How do I know if car-parking is required?
If your patient is staying on their own, does not drive and will not receive care from visiting nursing, please select no parking required.
What if my patient or their carers need parking?
If your patient will receive visits from or will be staying with carers, please select yes for car parking. MediStays needs to know if parking is required and can book this for your patient at our heavily discounted or free rates.
Hospital Accommodation Referral Tips: Accessing & Approving Funding
Is my patient eligible for financial assistance?
Please let us know if your patient is eligible for financial assistance, as MediStays will bulk-bill the accommodation costs where possible. This helps to reduce the financial burden for patients and carers at this difficult time on their lives.
You can visit the MediStays Financial Assistance page to learn more about funding. For country patients, this is often Patient Assisted Travel Subsidies (PATS), such as the PTSS in Queensland and IPTAAS in NSW.
MediStays also works with many charitable organisations and government departments, including TAC and NDIS, who cover or subsidise the costs of accommodation. Please include relevant details in the comments box and MediStays Care Navigators will be in touch.
Hospital Referral Tips: Extra information and preferences to best support your patient
How else can MediStays assist you to book trusted accommodation for your patients?
Every individual and their accommodation requirements are unique. We have included an extra comments box at the end for any questions and requests not covered above. These might include:
- Can my patient bring their pet?
- Can my patient’s wife stay at the property?
- Does MediStays bulk-bill PTSS?
- My patient requires meals – can this be arranged?
Well done! Thank you for referring your patient to MediStays. Now all you need to do is click ‘SUBMIT’ and one of our helpful Care Navigators will be in touch.
Are you a social worker or nurse supporting patients and their loved ones to book accommodation? MediStays provides a free service for Australians travelling for medical care. We arrange their accommodation and free up time to focus on directly supporting your patients.
MediStays and our wonderful Care Navigators are committed to providing medical travellers with trusted accommodation when they need it most.
If you wish to make a referral or an enquiry, please submit a referral here.
1300 085 036