For disability providers, a digital transformation can form part of the solution to recruitment difficulties, low profit margins and extensive administrative work. What’s more, it can help improve support quality and prepare your business for the future.

Less Investment in Administration Tasks

Optimising administrative processes will help your business increase profitability while complying with the NDIS price guide. 

The less time spent on administrative tasks, the easier it is for NDIS providers to reduce the costs associated with service bookings.

Moving from manual to online rostering will help you roster quicker. Plus, it can improve your efficiency in service delivery by cutting down on your team’s travel time and reducing the risk of no-shows.

Accounting integration, invoicing software (especially for NDIS bulk payment requests), and document expiry notifications can also help you save hours of time each week.

Quicker Hiring and Better Retainment of Support Workers

Recruitment has always been a challenge for disability support providers, but the NDS’ State of the Disability Sector 2022 Report backs up what most NDIS providers already know: it is harder than ever to recruit staff, especially for shift work.

Businesses find themselves struggling to pay employees their desired rates, while it can be difficult to find applicants with the right qualifications and training. Delays in employment checks lead to applicants dropping out of the process. Retention has also proven more challenging in 2023 than in past years.

However, the report contains some positive news for disability businesses. Flexible working arrangements were associated with better retention rates, as were a manageable workload and a positive company culture. Meanwhile, hiring for values and training for skills facilitated recruitment. 

NDIS and care management software can support you in better meeting new recruits’ and veteran team members’ needs alike, and in doing so, help you improve your recruitment and retention rates. 

Technology won’t remove the need for NDIS Screening Checks, but it can simplify the onboarding process so you can get workers assigned to clients as quickly as possible. You’ll be able to get a new team member onboarded and rostered in just 15 minutes.

Rigorous documentation management and worker filtering software settings will help you oversee a team with varying levels of certification and training. You can hire trainee staff and create a roster around their capabilities with minimal effort thanks to automated rosters.

Plus, you’ll be able to invite employees to set their preferred work schedules and so offer them the flexibility they need. And with per-worker views of the roster, you can double-check in seconds that team members’ workloads are manageable.

While it won’t solve the disability labour shortage, technology will help you be more attractive to candidates while keeping your existing team happy.

Better Responsiveness to Changes in the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Uncertainty around the future, and in particular, evolving Australian government regulation can be a significant cause for concern for NDIS providers. As the NDS’ report found, adapting to new regulations is proving exhausting for many disability professionals. 

The disability sector already sees regular annual updates to the NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits guide, as well as SCHADS awards updates and quality and safety guidelines. With the Royal Commission’s final review due in 2024, we can expect significant changes to legislation in the near future.

While these updates can be challenging, digital tools will make adapting to them easier. Software that’s designed for NDIS providers will facilitate global changes to your system, so you don’t need to manually update every participant’s details. It will help you make compliance a priority — even when the rules you’re complying with are rapidly changing.

Higher Quality of Empathetic Support

The right tools will enable you and your team to provide excellent support. Your staff will have access to all the information they need on shift via their mobile phones, from client details to the latest progress notes. 

Matching tools will allow you to select the best support workers for each participant’s needs. In turn, you’ll be able to improve support outcomes and build better relationships between workers and clients.

Portals for friends and family members will also facilitate greater involvement of clients' informal support systems and community, one of the key areas for focus in Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031. 

Deeper Insights Into Your Business

A digital transformation will allow you to collect and analyse data on your business’ operations, from support delivery to financials. You’ll have instant insights into the amount of time your team members spend travelling, what percentage of staff have key certification and how much you’re spending on equipment for therapeutic supports.

You can use this to improve quality and manage the challenges of low profit margins. You’ll be able to make better-informed decisions that lead to more positive outcomes and stronger growth in the future. 

Ready Your NDIS Provider Business for the Future

The right tools will empower your business to thrive in 2024 and beyond. You’ll be able to reduce the time and energy you spend on admin work, improve your recruitment cycle and focus on what really matters: providing excellent supports that enable people with disability to have a better quality of life.

ShiftCare’s NDIS and care management software is a one-stop solution for NDIS providers. It simplifies client onboarding, funds and plan management, and client documentation. Plus, you’ll be able to add new staff members and build rosters in minutes.

With accounting and payroll software integration, it will help you stay in control of your business’ finances. And, you can reduce your NDIS invoicing time by up to 90% with our bulk claims features. 

To discover how the right software can transform your business, try ShiftCare for free.