Awanui Home Visit Eligibility Criteria – Information for Referrers
In response to increasing demand for Home Visit requests and due to several Home Visit requests unable to proceed due to patients not being at home when our phlebotomists visit, Awanui has reviewed and updated the Home Visit requesting and eligibility criteria – effective April 2026.
Please see below the updated eligibility criteria and home visit requesting requirements.
Eligibility Criteria
Home visits are limited to patients who are living within a 20km radius of the nearest Awanui Labs collection centre that provides a home visit service and:
- Medically housebound or bedridden, or
- Have a special medical circumstance that clearly prevents attendance at a collection centre and is supported by detailed clinical justification.
Clinical justification is required for Home-visit requests
All home visit requests must include appropriate clinical details explaining why the patient meets the eligibility criteria. Requests that do not contain sufficient clinical detail will not be scheduled.
The Following Alone Do Not Meet Eligibility:
- Transportation difficulties
- General mobility limitations
- Advanced age without supporting medical justification
We understand these factors can create challenges for patients and whānau; however, on their own, they do not qualify a patient for home visit services.
Ongoing Review of Eligibility
- Eligibility is subject to regular review by the Home Visit Coordinator.
- Referrers will be notified via a result comment if a patient is not eligible or no longer meets the criteria.
Making a Home Visit Request
- The electronic e-Order form and tick box must be used for Home Visit requests. Where this is unavailable, please email SIHomevisits@awanuilabs.co.nz to discuss the process.
- Urgent requests must be phoned through. Please phone your local laboratory and ask to speak to the Home Visit Coordinator.
- Requests are scheduled for the next available day and may be subject to change dependant on daily capacity and request urgency.
- Awanui does not provide a booking time and day to patients, as per the eligibility criteria the patient is expected to be at home.
- Morning priority will be given to patients who are fasting or withholding medication.
- Patients may be removed from the home visit service following one unsuccessful visit without proper justification.
Home Visits to Aged Care Facilities
- Where possible Awanui will plan routine collections at facilities once a week per facility and on the same day each week.
- A facility staff member must escort the phlebotomist to each patient and assist with identification and any required support.
- Patients in aged care facilities can only be referred for a home visit by their medical practitioner.
Private Home Collections
- Collections will not proceed in an environment deemed unsafe by staff
- Pets must be restrained and safe access provided
- Positive patient identification is mandatory – Patients unable to self-identify must provide photo ID or have a support person present.
- When requesting a home visit the referring clinician must agree to the above criteria
Missed Visits
- Referrers will be notified via a result comment if a patient is not present at the time visited
- The Home Visit will not automatically be rebooked – Confirmation of ongoing eligibility will be required prior to further visits
- Patients may be removed from the Home Visit service following one unsuccessful visit without proper justification.
We thank you for your continued support in providing a Home Visit service.