The hospital outreach starter checklist
What to prepare, who to call and the rules for your first hospital visit as an NDIS provider. Free, printable, no account needed.
Where should we say hello?
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Before you go
- Build your facts card: services in plain discharge language, suburbs and LGAs you cover, plan-management types you can serve, and your realistic start-time promise.
- Agree the one promise your organisation can always keep (for example, same-business-day answers to referral calls). Never promise vacancies you don't have.
- Choose your first three hospitals: start where discharge volume is highest, usually the biggest public hospital within your service area.
- Print referral forms with a consent line, and a one-page referrer flyer. Leave the brochures at home.
Booking the visit
- Phone ahead and ask for the social work department. Ask for ten minutes to introduce your service, at a time that suits their huddle.
- If you get voicemail, leave one short message with your name, organisation and number, then follow up once. Never camp the phones.
On the day
- Appointment first. Report to reception every time, wear ID, and go only where you're invited.
- Staff only: never approach patients or visitors unless staff introduce you.
- No patient details, ever. Referrals go through the form, with consent.
- No gifts to staff. Not even coffee. Information only.
- Ask the two golden questions: "What's the hardest part of getting an NDIS patient home from here?" and "Phone or email, how do you prefer to reach a provider?"
- Asked to leave? Smile, thank them, leave. One bad moment can close a hospital to you permanently.
Afterwards
- Same evening: send a short thank-you email with your facts card attached.
- Log the visit: who you met, what they said, what you promised.
- Set a reminder to check in monthly. Referrals typically start in month two to four, and they go to the provider who kept showing up.
This is page one of a nine-module method.
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