au
NDIS Software for Small Providers: A Buyer’s Guide
Asha Neil
Why Small Providers Should Invest in Client Management Software
Small disability service providers often face additional challenges: narrower profit margins, fewer resources and a reduced admin team taking on additional responsibilities. One person can find themselves wearing numerous hats: compliance, marketing, billing, HR, accounting, quality control...
Despite this, small providers regularly provide the same excellent quality client services as their bigger counterparts, not to mention an empathetic, personal touch.
NDIS software designed to meet small NDIS businesses' needs can help you overcome these challenges. There's no denying that some software is built with bigger providers in mind. However, smaller companies like yours will also reap the benefits of the right NDIS CRM software.
The ideal platform will help you efficiently manage client services and administrative tasks. In this way, you can save time, make the most of your limited resources and ensure each client is receiving the support they deserve.
NDIS Client Management Software: What Small Providers Should Look For
To ensure your organisation sees the key benefits of greater productivity and time savings, look for the following features. They'll help you not only perform important tasks but also do so as efficiently as possible.
NDIS Compliance
Among NDIS providers, there are few bigger concerns than compliance: the National Disability Insurance Scheme has detailed regulations and a rigorous audit system. As a small organisation, you'll have limited resources, so it's important that your NDIS software supports you in this.
Check for:
In-platform NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits (aka the NDIS price guide)
Systems for client documentation, especially progress notes, support plans and incident reports
Expiry notifications for key records
Rostering
When working with a smaller number of support workers and clients, efficient rostering becomes of the utmost importance. You can't afford to roster poorly: hiring just one unneeded staff member can represent a significant financial burden. However, you don't have hours to lose poring over draft shifts and messaging support workers to confirm availability.
Fortunately, NDIS software can help you build a roster in minutes. Here are the features that you should look for:
An easy system for staff members to update their availability
Client and support worker matching
Automated draft rosters for you to amend or approve
Per-client and per-worker views of the roster
The ability to split shifts into multiple NDIS categories and locations
SMS push notifications for team members
Client Documents
Australian disability service providers have to create and securely store multiple documents, including support plans, client consent forms, strengths and needs assessments, risk assessments, progress notes and incident reports.
While most NDIS CRM software will have some kind of document management, some are more comprehensive than others. Look for:
A system that distinguishes between end-of-shift reports and key documentation (e.g. support plans)
Customisable templates for progress notes and incident reports
Easy access to key documents for support workers
An intuitive system for adding progress notes on the go
Time Tracking
Accurate billing and invoicing require you and your support workers to track time spent with each client and on each task. Make sure that your NDIS software will enable you to do this through electronic clocking in and out. Plus, double-check that you can integrate this information with your accounting system.
Bulk Claims and Invoicing
Claiming in bulk can save you time and improve your cash flow, so you want NDIS CRM software that will support this. It's also worth confirming that you can create invoices based on your tracked time. Automating this process will reduce the likelihood of errors, as well as cutting down on your workload.
Client Portal
Regular communication with customers and their loved ones is pivotal to providing empowering, human-centric services. Get this right, and it will be easier to set yourself apart as a leading provider of NDIS services.
Having a portal for clients and their family members or friends will make communication far easier, whether it's a report on a client's day, a breakdown of the services provided this month or an updated support plan.
Don't forget to try out the client portal before committing to NDIS software. Is it easy to use? Can the client and their loved ones also contact you via the portal, e.g. to request additional services?
A Support Worker App
Shifts run smoother when support workers have all the resources they need to hand. A dedicated app for your team members will ensure they're best positioned to deliver high-quality support.
Check for:
Document access
A way to add progress notes
Rosters and availability
NDIS Software That Will Help Small Providers Thrive
The right NDIS software will provide a complete solution to your organisation's needs. It will help with everything from documentation for new employees to client records and client care.
Small NDIS businesses often struggle with immense amounts of paperwork and regulations. It's far too easy to spend hours on HR and document management instead of on service delivery. That's why software that will help you save time can set your organisation up for success.
ShiftCare's NDIS software is built to meet the needs of small NDIS service providers. It makes rostering quick and intuitive, while NDIS compliance is made easy with the document management settings and expiry templates. Your team will always have easy access to the documents they need to do their work well — and zero access to the confidential records they don't need.
Accounting and billing integrations mean you can take a one system approach to running your company. Plus, with companion apps for support workers and NDIS participants alike, you'll find managing client relationships easier than ever.
Try ShiftCare for free today to see how it can provide an end to end solution to your company's needs.
