MediStays is a nationwide service connecting Australians and their families with the best accommodation option to support a hospital visit or disability-related stay.
Whether you’re a patient on your way to hospital, a friend or family member paying a visit, a person with a disability looking for accommodation as part of your NDIS plan, or a health worker supporting your patients, MediStays makes it easy to find a safe, comfortable place to stay, so you can focus on the important things.
We do this because we’re passionate about reducing barriers to care and creating a world where anyone with a medical condition, disability or other vulnerability feels safe in the knowledge that the right accommodation can be found quickly and easily. A world where everyone gets the same high-quality healthcare, regardless of their point of origin.
Our Story
Since 2017, MediStays has become a vital part of the community of care that puts its arms around Australians when they are confronting a health crisis, or need disability accommodation. This circle of assistance and comfort includes health referrers, hospitals, medical centres, disability coordinators, peak bodies and policymakers. It also takes in those rural and regional communities that are famous for rallying behind their own in times of great need.
Central to this effort are MediStays’ Care Navigators, who work to guide Australians through the complex and often stressful process of finding accommodation to support their hospital visit or disability support plan.
Founders Story
The pictures of happy people sitting by the pool were the last thing Associate Professor Sarah Everitt wanted to see as she searched for accommodation options for her mum.
After a long day at work, Sarah had arrived home to the news her aunt Rosy had been flown from far-west NSW to Sydney for emergency cancer surgery. Sarah’s mum, who was based in rural Victoria and would be travelling more than 650km to be by her sister’s side, didn’t need to know about in-room entertainment or pool hours. She just wanted somewhere safe to stay close to the hospital where Rosy was being treated.
As a senior researcher at Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Sarah had seen first-hand how overwhelming it was for patients and their families to travel long distances for specialist cancer treatment. This deep understanding of the tyranny of distance was also informed by her childhood growing up in North-East Victoria.
Because of these experiences she knew inherently that at times of huge stress and uncertainty, the question of finding appropriate accommodation close to treatment was often far more complex than it needed to be – particularly for people coming from regional and rural Australia.
Looking at the Google search list of unsatisfactory accommodation options that night, Sarah realised this was a problem that needed to be solved. That moment created a spark that would eventually become a fire, transforming the way Australians find trusted, appropriate accommodation as part of a hospital or specialist appointment visit, or as part of a disability support package
Like any true researcher, Sarah Everitt began by developing a strong evidence base. She found study after study that showed how Australians in rural and regional areas faced huge barriers to care if they needed access to specialist medical treatment. That meant any factor that reduced those barriers – such as an easy, cost-effective way to find the best accommodation – could save lives and improve treatment outcomes.
Sarah set to work with the support of her co-founder and husband Craig. At that time, Craig was working for a leading Oncology Provider. Together they built an accommodation booking website, and soon MediStays was up and running. Sarah still remembers the feeling of elation as the first booking came through, during a trip away with friends in the Grampians.
“It was like a tiny but important first step towards validating the idea,” she says. “It wasn’t just a sense of accomplishment. It felt like proof that MediStays was meeting a real need. Even if MediStays had made just one person’s life easier, it was worth pursuing.”
From those humble beginnings, MediStays grew into a company that now helps Australians from all walks of life book tens of thousands of nights of accommodation a year. Whether you’re a patient on your way to hospital, a friend or family member paying a visit, a person with a disability looking for accommodation as part of your NDIS plan, or a health worker supporting your patients, MediStays makes it easy to find a safe, comfortable place to stay, often at the most challenging time of people’s lives.
Sarah Everitt
MediStays Managing Director and Co-Founder
Our Values
We are caring
At MediStays, we give you peace of mind and ease the burden of finding somewhere to stay. We do our best to ensure people travelling for medical care feel comfortable and safe.
We are innovative
We combine our knowledge of healthcare with innovative technologies to support people access the best healthcare available. We are forward thinking and embrace innovative and efficient solutions to make a positive difference.
We are credible
As qualified healthcare professionals, our team understands the needs of medical travellers. We partner with trusted and reputable accommodation providers to support you when you need it most.
We are informative
We clearly communicate trusted and helpful information to support people travelling to hospitals and those being discharged from hospital. We are committed to building trusted partnerships to help people access the best accommodation and support services.
Our Partners
Corporate Responsibility
Every stay has a story
Thank you and the team for your support….. you are amazing to work with and we are thankful we can always contact you to discuss anything that comes up.
Liz Galea
Quest Apartment Hotels Preston
Thank you so much to you and the team for getting this organised in such a short time frame! David (my client) is so grateful for this, as am I!
Fran
Disability Health Worker
Had a wonderful week at QT Gold Coast. The apartment was 5 star & the food was beautiful. I would recommend MediStays for your next respite getaway.
Fay Baikie
Guest
We are so grateful for MediStays support. It was so overwhelming when John was diagnosed with cancer…. then to travel to the city…. you gave us peace of mind knowing we had somewhere safe to stay… we can’t thank you enough.”
John and Pam
Patient and Wife
“Working with MediStays has been brilliant in achieving prompt and safe discharges for some of our most complex patients.”
Colm Sands
Senior Social Worker, SCUH
“Finally we have a solution for supporting our country patients! MediStays saves our staff the time and hassle of calling hotels to check availability and negotiate the best rates. A professional and trusted service. Thank you MediStays!”
Kate S
Practice Nurse, GVMC
Proudly supporting referrals across Australia
MediStays partners with health organisations across Australia in supporting patients, carers and families to book trusted accommodation
1300 085 036