Country Hearing Care supports referral pathways for children, families and referring health professionals, including public paediatric and diagnostic audiology services delivered through hospital partnerships.
Require referral through the approved hospital pathway and are subject to hospital triage and waitlists. Please contact your local public service for more information.
A referral from a medical practitioner will result in a partial Medicare rebate, however is not required to book. A new referral is required for every appointment in order to receive a rebate.
No referral is required. For private services to be eligible for a rebate, the referral must come from a medical practitioner (GP, ENT, Paediatrician). Public hospitals may have different referral pathways, please contact your local service.
For public hospital audiology services, a healthcare professional refers the client into the relevant hospital pathway. The hospital reviews the referral, applies eligibility and triage criteria, and determines appointment priority.
Referrals are submitted through the Grampians Health referral pathway by the referring healthcare professional. Once accepted, Country Hearing Care coordinates appointments and service delivery on behalf of the hospital audiology service. Please contact Grampians Health for more information about referrals.
Public paediatric and diagnostic audiology services are delivered in partnership with Bendigo Health. Please contact Bendigo Health for more information.
Referrals are submitted through approved hospital referral pathways and managed through Bendigo Health triage processes.
Public paediatric and diagnostic audiology services are supported through Specialist Clinic and Ambulatory Care referral pathways in Mildura. Please contact Mildura Base Public Hospital for more information.
| Pathway | Referral requirement | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Public Hospital Paediatric & Diagnostic Audiology | Referral required through approved hospital pathways. | Subject to hospital eligibility, triage criteria, appointment availability and waitlists. Please contact your local public service for more information. |
| Private Paediatric Appointments | A referral is not required. | Bookings can be made directly through Country Hearing Care. A referral from a medical practitioner will result in a partial Medicare rebate, however is not required to book. A new referral is required for every appointment in order to receive a rebate. |
Depending on the hospital pathway and referral criteria, referrals may be accepted from:
Bookings can be made directly through Country Hearing Care. A referral from a medical practitioner will result in a partial Medicare rebate, however is not required to book. A new referral is required for every appointment in order to receive a rebate.
There are generally no Medicare rebates for private paediatric audiology appointments. Public hospital referral pathways may provide access to government-funded paediatric and diagnostic audiology services for eligible clients.
Private appointments may be suitable for families seeking faster access, follow-up checks, speech or school readiness concerns, or general hearing concerns.
Same as others re: rebates. Bookings can be made directly through Country Hearing Care. A referral from a medical practitioner will result in a partial Medicare rebate, however is not required to book. A new referral is required for every appointment in order to receive a rebate.
This page provides general information only. Referral requirements, eligibility, funding arrangements and wait times may change depending on hospital criteria, clinical requirements and local service availability.
