The aged care sector has reached one of its biggest milestones with the transition to Support at Home. Providers have spent months preparing for the change yet the real test begins after go live. The first ninety days will set the tone for stability, compliance, client confidence, and workforce readiness. This period is not about perfection. It is about creating clarity, tightening processes, and establishing visibility across your organisation so you can operate safely and efficiently under the new model.

The shift to Support at Home introduces new service structures, documentation expectations, payment processes, and workflow responsibilities. Early signs from providers show that even strong organisations feel the pressure of real world application. This makes the first three months critical and there are clear priorities that every provider should focus on.

The first priority is ensuring you have complete visibility over your client data. This includes current care plans, service schedules, acuity levels, budgets, and client preferences. You should confirm that your CMS is accurately reflecting the new funding categories and that your team understands how these map into daily operations. In the early weeks it is common to discover inconsistencies or missing information. The quicker these issues are identified and resolved, the smoother the transition will be.

The next priority is building predictable and consistent workflows. Under Support at Home there are new expectations for documentation, care plan updates, case notes, service evidence, and quality indicators. Providers should review their current workflows and remove steps that create confusion or duplication. Coordinators and frontline workers need a clear process for how services are delivered, recorded, and communicated. Establishing these workflows early reduces mistakes, improves client safety, and sets the foundation for audit readiness.

A major pressure point for most providers is rostering. The new model requires a stronger link between client needs, skills based matching, availability, and service timing. If your rostering system is not well configured or your team is stretched, the result will be late services, missed visits, and increased overtime. The first ninety days are the ideal time to run a rostering health check. This includes reviewing service definitions, travel settings, client windows, worker qualifications, and how unplanned leave is managed. Intelligent workforce coordination will become essential as client expectations tighten.

Compliance must also become a daily habit rather than a reactive task. Providers should review their documentation processes, incident reporting pathways, client notes, care plan cycles, and staff qualification tracking. Support at Home increases the level of scrutiny placed on providers and the organisations that succeed will be those that treat compliance as a shared responsibility across the entire team. It is important to reinforce expectations early and give staff the training and tools they need to feel confident.

Client communication is another essential area to focus on. Many clients will feel uncertain during the early months of this transition. Clear communication about how services are planned, who will be visiting, how preferences are considered, and what the new model means for them will build trust. Providers that communicate well will experience fewer complaints and stronger client satisfaction. Even a simple weekly update or check in can make a big difference.

Workforce engagement is equally important. Support workers are navigating new processes, new documentation expectations, and new client plans. The first ninety days should include regular check ins with staff, opportunities to raise concerns, and refresher training to ensure everyone understands the new requirements. A supported and confident workforce will always deliver a better client experience.

Finally, leadership teams should focus on data and reporting. Support at Home places significant emphasis on outcomes, quality, and evidence. Providers need to understand their most important indicators such as continuity of care, service timeliness, documentation quality, and workforce utilisation. These metrics will guide your decisions, highlight early risks, and support you in demonstrating compliance and performance to governing bodies.

The first ninety days of Support at Home are not about getting everything perfect. They are about creating stability, building confidence, and putting the right systems and processes in place. Providers who approach this period proactively will reduce risk, improve client outcomes, and build a stronger foundation for long term success.

If you would like support reviewing your workflows, rostering, system configuration, or compliance readiness, the team at THREEDIGITAL can help. Our experience working with providers through major reform gives us a clear understanding of what works and where organisations are most vulnerable. Reach out if you would like a conversation about your Support at Home transition.