How NDIS Software Enables Disability Providers to Grow
The right NDIS software can help providers simplify their care management, optimise their organisation and create better wellbeing by giving participants the support they need to live the life they choose.
Did you know that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is forecast to grow in size from 460,000 participants to 682,000 participants by 2025? This forecast represents huge growth and, in turn, a lot of opportunities for NDIS providers to grow.
However, if you’re already struggling with NDIS funding management, workforce management and maintaining compliance, how can you expect to take on extra clients? As competition increases and the NDIS continues to change, providers will inevitably be required to do more with less and find new efficiencies to compensate for narrower margins.
Discover more below about what NDIS software is and how your organisation can benefit.
What is NDIS software?
NDIS software is an organisation-wide tech solution that equips NDIS providers with the right tools to navigate the complexities of the NDIS and manage client services. NDIS software can help automate administrative tasks, streamline scheduling and workforce management, simplify billing and claiming, and manage client information more efficiently to enable better participant care.
While a traditional CRM or care management software may perform some of these functions at the most basic level, the NDIS framework requires a truly adaptable solution that keeps up to date with ongoing industry changes such as NDIS price updates. We recommend choosing software that is built on a cloud-based platform and is regularly updated so that it grows as the NDIS does, and supports you in maintaining compliance.
Typically the best NDIS software will bring these features together in a single application that integrates with other software vendors to ensure interoperability between systems and a seamless end-to-end experience for your organisation.
NDIS ready software will include important features and modules such as:
- Workforce management tools
- Interoperability with integrations, such as a customer communication tool
- Mobile accessibility
- NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits updates
It’s also important to consider the importance of having a partnership with your tech provider.
Let’s take a look at how NDIS software enables disability organisations to grow and scale.
3 Benefits of NDIS Ready Software
1. Improved Employee Experience
With employee churn often mentioned as one of the key challenges for the disability sector, supporting your staff with the right software can make all the difference. Support your workforce with a real-time solution that improves efficiency and streamlines admin so they can focus more on providing quality, value-based care.
What features can help you do this?
Bulk claiming
One of the time-consuming tasks that NDIS software can assist with is reducing the need to double up on claims and execute the same repetitive process each time. With a bulk claiming feature, providers can claim for multiple services through the NDIA’s myplace portal using extracts (CSV spreadsheets) created in a care management solution such as Lumary. This automation reduces manual processes and claiming time so that NDIS providers can receive their funding quicker and staff can spend significantly less time on admin.
Interoperability with integrations
NDIS software that integrates with other software vendors provides you with a holistic, single workflow platform. If your tech provider has these partnerships in place, you benefit from having the best in breed software across different business areas while only needing a single care management platform. Some important integrations are listed below.
NDIA API
NDIS software like Lumary CM is able to connect with the NDIA’s API (Application Programming Interface) to validate that participants created in Lumary CM exist in the NDIA’s myplace portal, and automatically create and amend service bookings.
By automating service booking creation, the NDIA API integration will save users a significant amount of time by removing the need to manually enter service booking data twice and reducing the time spent troubleshooting human error. Ultimately, this will deliver faster provider payments and remittances.
Scheduling and workforce management
Clients with different schedules, home locations and carer preferences can complicate the scheduling and workforce management process. Workforce management tools allow providers to easily build optimised schedules and allocate staff to visits according to travel time between clients.
The benefit is that management can accurately record staff shifts, fill rosters more easily, complete timesheets more efficiently, and minimise gaps, double bookings, and travel time.
As an example, Lumary utilises its own scheduling and rostering tools but also integrates with software like Skedulo and easyemployer so that no matter which system you use, your staff can see their roster all in one place. Importantly, your staff can also access the application from their mobile devices and laptops, so they’re always prepared for their daily tasks.
Accounting and finance
Every organisation requires quality software for budgeting and accounting. As such, it’s crucial that the NDIS software you choose integrates with multiple accounting software tools to simplify the administrative process and reduce time spent entering data across multiple systems.
Lumary brings together market-leading accounting software like MYOB, Xero, Sage and NetSuite so that you can easily export invoices and statements created in Lumary CM directly to your integrated accounting software. The end result is that you can reduce spend and admin time with a seamless experience between your NDIS software and accounting tools.
Communications
A communications tool is perhaps one of the more overlooked parts of a system, but an important one for building a strong relationship with clients. This tool can allow providers to manage, automate and optimise client journeys by creating two-way conversations with their customers.
For example, Lumary’s integrates with communications platform Pendula to remind clients of upcoming appointments to which the client can respond whether they can attend or not. This ensures clear communication and no time wasted for staff in driving out to appointments that don’t go ahead.
It can also be used to bring a customer on a journey and strengthen the relationship, such as sending them an automated welcome message or a birthday message, all using simple drag and drop functionality.
Remote and mobile accessibility
We know the importance of remaining online and staying connected while delivering care, and NDIS providers are increasingly looking for technology that will support their mobile workforce as a result. Not only is this vital to delivering personalised care, but it creates a better employee experience.
Software like Lumary CM provides an easy-to-use web and mobile application for staff to access important information from anywhere and any time. With real-time access to the system, staff can schedule appointments transparently, record case notes accurately, and document services as they are delivered, eliminating the double up of data entry.
An important consideration is also whether the software solution’s mobile applications work for both Google’s Android and Apple’s IOS operating systems so that your staff can access the app on their preferred mobile device.
With the integration of Google Maps, Lumary mobile applications also allow providers to track and record the travel and transport required for care delivery. This can provide better insight into your team’s movements as they travel from participant to participant, and support you to bill quicker and easier for service delivery.
Online resources and customer support
One of the greatest barriers we see in successful technology adoption is users feeling uncertain or uncomfortable using a new system. If you’re investing in a tech solution, you want to be sure your workforce is getting the most out of it. This is why post-implementation support is so important.
We suggest finding a tech partner rather than just a tech provider that will continue to support your organisation through ongoing changes as both your organisation and the NDIS evolve.
As an example, Lumary’s customers are supported by an in-house Customer Success team that works to resolve any support requests. Additionally, a Customer Outcomes team is the first point of call for any other queries, with dedicated account managers to ensure the best outcomes for customers.
Meanwhile, the online Help Centre is a great resource for everything employees need, from product development updates to step-by-step guides and knowledge articles prepared by NDIS specialists to make sure you’re getting the most out of your NDIS software and investment.
2. Easily Maintain Compliance
Within the hyper-regulated environment of the NDIS, meeting quality and safeguard standards and complying with legislative requirements is one of the main considerations for many NDIS providers. Some of the features below are reasons why purpose-built NDIS software can make all the difference in maintaining compliance.
Data security with a cloud-based server
Disability providers hold large amounts of sensitive information, which is why data security is critical. We recommend choosing NDIS software that is cloud-based for four reasons:
- Data security – Cloud-based servers like Salesforce have security protocols in place to protect your information using both server authentication and data encryption. The secure server environment where data is hosted uses a firewall and other advanced technology to prevent interference or access from outside intruders.
- Regulatory compliance – This helps you comply with NDIS-specific requirements governing the collection and use of individuals’ data making it easier to meet regulatory compliance requirements.
- Choose the security level of users – Easily assign different data sets to different sets of users. This helps you to reduce the risk of stolen or misused data while ensuring all users can easily get the data they need to deliver value-based care.
- Backup and recovery of data – Storing backup data on a server in a physical location makes it susceptible to fire, flooding or other disasters. By using the cloud, you can easily recover your information in the event of a disaster since your data is stored in multiple places, ensuring your data remains safe and accessible.
For example, Lumary chose to develop its application on the Salesforce platform, which is considered the world’s number one CRM, cloud-based software development platform. Used and endorsed by Australian Government agencies and every major Australian bank, Salesforce is contractually bound to comply with Australian privacy law. This means Lumary can confidently offer enterprise-level data security and storage for its customers.
NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits updates
Formerly called the NDIS Price Guide, the NDIS makes annual updates to pricing rules and rates as well as ad hoc changes throughout the year. Navigating these updates can be complex and making sure that these updates are integrated accurately is often time-consuming.
The NDIS software to look for will be one that has the full NDIS price list pre-loaded into the system and will manage the update of rate and rule changes on your behalf. This streamlines the billing process and ensures you remain compliant without the administrative burden and stress of manually updating it yourself.
To find out more about how this works within Lumary’s platform, you can view our knowledge articles here.
Compliant travel and transport claims
Accurately recording and calculating claim expenses can take up significant admin time. As with NDIS pricing, the right software will also automatically update relevant travel and transport rules and costs. Staff benefit by being able to easily claim eligible travel and transport expenses without the stress of overclaiming or claiming the wrong line item.
With a solution like Lumary CM, support workers can add their travel and transport expenses directly into the Lumary mobile app, which can then be used to automatically calculate claims and payments. As everything is tracked and recorded in the NDIS software solution, staff no longer need to worry about whether they’ll lose that note for kms travelled that they wrote on a slip of paper.
3. Provide Better Care
Person-centred care is playing an increasingly important role in the way the industry assesses the quality of care provided to participants. NDIS providers need to be able to provide care that is responsive to the individual client needs and goals, and the inability to access client information and gaps in communication can inhibit personalised care delivery.
Below we’ll outline some of the key NDIS software features that can increase data transparency and improve communication to support people-centred care and create better outcomes for the community.
Community Portal
Finding it hard to give your clients the choice and control they’re looking for when it comes to their care? As part of ongoing reforms in the disability sector, the Australian government and consumers expect this to be at the heart of care delivery. With the right software solution, NDIS providers can give their clients more choice and control with access to certain information through a client portal.
With Lumary‘s Community Portal, providers can assign access to a client and their family to an individual client portal. The Portal allows clients to request services, adjust appointment times and view information such as real-time budget balances, invoice history, client statements and more. All of this is designed to empower clients with the information they’re looking for in making better-informed decisions about their care.
Client case and task management
It’s not hard to imagine the inefficiencies and room for error in relying on paper-based processes – from lost sheets of paper with critical information on it, to simply doubling up on data entry. NDIS software allows support workers to manage service agreements, care plans and budgets, and accurately record notes, assessments and alerts so that they can build personal profiles for each of their clients. Staff will have access to all of this information right from their laptops or mobile phones which enables the delivery of more personalised care and a stronger support worker and participant relationship.
With cloud-based software like Lumary CM, staff can access and record data in real-time, eliminating time wasted on unnecessary double data entry. This alleviates the time pressure on staff but also results in less human error, lowering administrative costs. You can also create workflow alerts that notify staff and assign tasks to anyone in the organisation to ensure nothing is missed. Features like this enable greater collaboration between teams as everyone has the same up to date information at their fingertips.
Goals and outcomes tracking
A core part of delivering value-based care is to create unique client goals, measure outcomes, and monitor progress to ensure clients are tracking towards achieving their goals. Without the proper software, tracking client outcomes becomes a real challenge and in most cases, unachievable for many.
Using NDIS ready software like Lumary CM, support workers can create client goals and assign tasks with all case notes, files, photos and related information linked back to a particular goal that is easily accessible. This is particularly useful for monitoring progress relating to specific goals.
For tasks like collating data for auditing purposes, features like this make it much easier for providers to transparently and accurately share data, saving your workforce precious hours that could be better spent on the important things – providing quality care.
Real-time reporting and dashboards
For NDIS providers that aren’t digitally connected, the inability to make sense of all their data and access it in real time can be a major source of frustration. With real-time reporting and dashboards, NDIS software can help providers analyse metrics that matter most to them all in one place. This empowers providers with the ability to identify areas of improvement and growth to create better workforce and customer experiences.
For example, the intuitive design of Lumary CM means that each user can easily create and manage their reports and dashboards according to their needs. This enables a complete overview of important data no matter the user’s tech level. Features like this also promote greater client choice and control as carers can provide information transparently to participants.
Alert notifications and incident reporting
Key features that maximise efficiency and response times are alert notifications and incident reporting. NDIS software can help build and track many different workflows and alerts to provide staff with critical information.
With a system like Lumary CM, you can create an alert to notify individuals or all staff from their mobile device for just about anything – such as an NDIS coordinator being notified as soon as a new enquiry has been converted to a client. This enables staff to follow up straight away and leads to better-informed care delivery and improved customer relations.
Meanwhile, an incident reporting feature allows carers to immediately capture incidents accurately and manage the incident with configurable escalation paths. Use the reporting functionality to proactively analyse and address trends, and increase incident prevention to ensure your organisation is delivering the best quality care possible.
NDIS Ready Software Supports Your Employees and Enables Growth
Navigating the NDIS can seem complicated and at times overwhelming, but with NDIS ready software you can cut through the complexities and inefficiencies to streamline your care management and reduce your admin burden.
Connecting your software on a single cloud-based NDIS-specific platform is the key to transforming your business. Designed with and for NDIS providers, Lumary CM streamlines workforce management, automates claiming and maintains compliance to enable better outcomes.
If you’re wondering whether your current systems are ready for the future landscape of the NDIS, a good place to start is by identifying the digital gaps in your organisation.
To speak with a member of the Lumary team and see how you can deliver better care and transform your organisation with NDIS software, book your free demonstration today.