Before hospital

Going to hospital can be stressful. You may be worried about your treatment, returning home, your overall health and more. Being prepared for your recovery can help to relieve some of this natural anxiety.

Healthcare Services' highly experienced health practitioners can support you while you prepare for your hospital stay. We can also help you consider ways to be safe and manage when you’re discharged home, and support you through your recovery.

Here are some of the ways we help eligible UniHealth members who are having hospital treatment, in the short-term and later on*.

However nice your hospital and medical team are, you’ll probably want to get back to your own bed sooner rather than later.

Plus, recovering at home has been linked to greater mental wellbeing, a lower risk of infection and better sleep than you’d get in a busy hospital.

The services below could help you get home sooner – by providing care you’d otherwise have to stay in hospital for (which is why you may hear them called Hospital Substitute Treatment).

• Hospital at home (e.g. certain types of wound care or IV infusions)
• Rehab at home (e.g. rehabilitation after a hip or knee replacement)

If you’re on one of these programs we’ll check in with you during your recovery to make sure it’s helping, and that you’re doing okay.

Accessing the programs

To access Hospital or Rehab at Home, your hospital can refer you to one of our contracted providers if they agree it's appropriate and you meet the following criteria:

• You're over 18 years of age, hold Hospital cover with waiting periods served and your membership is paid up to date,
• Your doctor submits a valid referral that meets contractual guidelines for the program,
• For Rehab at Home, the support you'll receive at home is from multiple allied health disciplines (as it would be in the hospital setting),
• Approval is also dependent on non-clinical criteria such as availability of treatment in your local area and the cost of services (e.g., contracted providers may charge above the amount we are permitted to pay),
• Services must be in place of treatment in hospital and organised before you are discharged.

For any questions, or to learn more about our contracted providers, get in touch via our contact form.

*To be eligible for a program you must be a member of UniHealth and have Hospital cover with all relevant waiting periods served. Hospital cover requirements and waiting periods vary for different programs. Additional eligibility criteria may apply.

These programs are brought to members through Teachers Healthcare Services ('Healthcare Services'), an initiative of Teachers Health, to support members' health and wellbeing through quality, evidence-based health management. Eligible members are connected with a dedicated Healthcare Services care coordinator who supports them along the way.