There are a number of ways to refer a patient to My Aged Care. You will need your patient's consent before providing information on their behalf.
For health professionals
My Aged Care is the entry point for older Australians to access aged care. Health professionals play a key role in supporting patients to access these services. If you believe your patient may need aged care services, you can make a referral.
For patients who need health-related support, such as after a hospital stay or due to a sudden change in their health status, more appropriate health specific services may be available through post-acute care, state or privately funded rehabilitation. Aged care services are not substitutes for early intervention, rehabilitation or sub-acute programs provided under the health system.
If you believe your patient is already receiving aged care services, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to find out more information before you decide to make a referral. You will need your patient’s consent, or that of their legal representative, to obtain this information.
Accessing urgent services
There are specific circumstances where health professionals may need to refer directly to a service provider. These circumstances are where there is an urgent need for a service based on the patient’s circumstances which, if not met immediately, may place the patient at risk. The services where this is likely to happen are:
- nursing
- personal care
- meals
- transport
These services would be of a time-limited duration (two weeks) with a longer-term commitment only occurring after assessment.
Referrals to urgent services
The preferred method for health professionals to access urgent services is by contacting the service provider directly. The service provider will, if able, provide urgent care for the patient and subsequently refer the patient to My Aged Care for an assessment of ongoing service needs.
Acceptance of the referral for urgent care will be based on the provider’s capacity to take on new clients and the relative needs of clients awaiting services.
If you do not have contact details of a provider, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or use the Find a provider tool to search for a provider.
How to make a referral to My Aged Care
If you don't currently use MedicalDirector, Best Practice or Genie as your practice management system, you can use the online Make a referral form on this website to make a referral to My Aged Care.
- If all relevant information is included in the referral, it will be sent directly to an assessment organisation without the need for the My Aged Care contact centre to contact your patient.
- You can attach documents to the referral form e.g. GP letters, specialist advice.
- Information entered in the form populates a client record. This is then used to support the patient’s assessment.
- Keep the confirmation number you receive after submitting the form – you can use this to follow up on the referral.
- Use the e-Referral option from within your patient’s electronic medical record – this is the quickest and easiest way for GPs to make a referral (available in Best Practice, MedicalDirector, and Genie practice management systems).
- After navigating to the HealthLink referred services tab, select ‘My Aged Care Referral’ to launch the e-Referral form.
- Where available, relevant patient information will be pre-populated into the e-Referral form. You simply need to ensure the patient information is correct and complete any outstanding fields.
- You can attach additional relevant documents to the e-Referral form e.g. GP letters, specialist advice and park the form if you need to come back it to it later.
- Once you submit the form it will be safely and securely sent electronically to My Aged Care. You will see a copy of the completed form containing an acknowledgement of receipt.
- Keep the confirmation number you receive after submitting the form – you or your patient can use this to follow up on the referral.
- Quick start guides are available to help you use the digital form:
- Call the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 200 422.
- If you are able to provide the contact centre with all relevant information, a referral will be sent directly to an assessment organisation without the need for the My Aged Care contact centre to call your patient.
- The patient does not have to be present for you to make a phone referral, but you must have their consent.
- You can ask the client to call My Aged Care.
- If you are from a hospital, please use the My Aged Care Hospital Referral Form - Fax.
- If you are a GP or a health professional based in the community, please use the My Aged Care Community Health Professional and GP Referral Form – Fax.
- If all relevant information is included in the referral, it will be sent directly to an assessment organisation without the need for the My Aged Care contact centre to call your patient.
- Fax the completed form to the My Aged Care contact centre on 1800 728 174.
- Fax only one referral form at a time.
- My Aged Care does not confirm or acknowledge receipt of fax referrals.
Providing your contact details is important as My Aged Care may contact you if additional information is needed about your patient.
Your patient cannot be referred for an aged care assessment or for services unless the correct information is provided. Personal information and documents are retained securely within the My Aged Care system.
What happens after a referral
If a completed referral is received by My Aged Care, the information can be sent directly to an assessor who will then call your patient to discuss and organise an assessment. Make sure your patient is aware that they may be contacted by My Aged Care or an assessor.
Your patient should hear from My Aged Care or an assessment organisation within three weeks.
If the referral is incomplete or faxed information is illegible, My Aged Care will contact you to confirm the information provided.
If a fax referral is not made using the My Aged Care fax template, the My Aged Care contact centre will contact you to get additional information and talk about the support your patient needs. After that conversation, the patient/client will be referred to a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) or Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) for an assessment.
Read about the assessment process.
Following up on referrals
You can follow up on your referrals by calling the My Aged Care contact centre. You’ll need:
- the confirmation number – if you made the referral online
- your details and the patient’s details – if you made the referral by fax.
If you’ve made the referral by fax, please wait at least 2 business days after submitting the referral to ensure that processing has started.
When you call to follow up a referral the contact centre can give you the following information:
- if a referral has been made to an assessment organisation
- the type of assessment
- the name and contact details of the assessment organisation
- if the patient has been referred for services including the type of services and if accepted by a provider
- if the client has existing aged care approvals in place
- if the referral you made has been closed including the reason for closure.
A health professional colleague is also able to call My Aged Care for this information. They will need to be from your organisation and provide the same information about the client and the referral including your name as the original referrer.
Contact My Aged Care for patient aged care information
If you believe your patient is receiving aged care services and you would like to find out more information before making a referral to My Aged Care, you can call the contact centre.
The contact centre will ask for your details and that of your patient before passing on the same information as for health professionals following up on a referral (see above).
Hospital referrals
Hospitals can refer patients who require a comprehensive assessment directly to their local Aged Care Assessment Team.
Resources for health professionals
Brochure: After you've registered with My Aged Care - information for your patients on what to expect after they have been referred to My Aged Care and how they can track their progress.
Factsheet: Guidance on direct to service referrals for CHSP providers - for additional information on urgent referrals.
Factsheet: Understanding the role of a Health Professional in My Aged Care - information on your role in a patient's aged care journey and in supporting client discussions.
Read more about aged care programs including eligibility, available services and costs.
Hard copies of some My Aged Care brochures are available, for free, through National Mail and Marketing.
