South Australia's Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS), administered by SA Health, helps country residents who must travel more than 100 kilometres to reach a specialist not available locally. It reimburses transport and accommodation after travel, at approved per-kilometre and per-night rates, rather than paying costs upfront. Approved escorts may also qualify. Current rates, eligibility and lodgement deadlines should be confirmed with SA Health or a local Country Health Connect office before travelling.
What Is the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme?
PATS is a South Australian Government scheme administered by SA Health. Its purpose is straightforward: to reduce the financial burden on country residents who must travel significant distances to see a specialist or access a level of medical care that is simply not available in their local area. The scheme covers a contribution toward transport costs and, where an overnight stay is required, a contribution toward accommodation.
The scheme is not a full reimbursement and it is not a travel allowance paid in advance. It operates as a partial subsidy, paid after travel has occurred, based on approved rates per kilometre and per night. The key word is 'approved' — both the treating specialist and the travel itself need to meet PATS criteria before a claim is accepted.
For anyone managing a partner's health needs, coordinating family members across distance, or navigating a new diagnosis that suddenly requires regular trips to Adelaide or another regional hub, PATS is one of the more practical supports available. The paperwork is manageable once you understand the system, and this guide is designed to help with that.
Who Is Eligible for PATS?
To qualify, you must be a permanent resident of rural or remote South Australia. The general threshold is that you live more than 100 kilometres from the nearest appropriate specialist or approved facility — though SA Health assesses each case, and the qualifying distance can vary depending on the type of specialist care required. Eligibility is linked to where you live, not your age, though older Australians in country SA make up a significant proportion of claimants.
The referral must come from a recognised referring practitioner — typically your GP — and must be directed to a specialist who cannot reasonably be accessed closer to your home. If a comparable specialist is available within your region, PATS may not apply to a trip that bypasses them. Your GP is the right starting point: they complete part of the claim form and their endorsement is central to the process.
Approved escorts are also eligible under certain conditions. If the patient's medical condition means they require someone to travel with them — for safety, language support, or physical assistance — that escort may also qualify for a transport and accommodation subsidy. This is worth raising with your GP and with SA Health directly, because the criteria for escort approval are specific and need to be documented upfront, not added later.
What Does PATS Actually Cover?
The scheme covers two main categories: transport and accommodation. For transport, reimbursement is calculated per kilometre based on the most direct practicable route. The per-kilometre rate is set by SA Health and is revised periodically — as of 2025-26, you should confirm the current rate directly with SA Health or your local Country Health Connect office, as quoting a figure here risks it being out of date by the time you read this.
For accommodation, a set nightly subsidy applies when an overnight stay is genuinely necessary for the appointment. This might be because the appointment is early in the morning, because you have multiple appointments across consecutive days, or because the return journey in a single day would be unreasonably long or unsafe. The nightly rate is indicative of a contribution, not a full hotel cost — in Adelaide, where accommodation near major hospitals can run from roughly $120 to $200 per night, the subsidy reduces rather than eliminates out-of-pocket costs.
Air travel can be included in some circumstances, particularly for very remote residents where driving is not practical, but this requires prior approval. If you are considering flying rather than driving, contact SA Health before booking — prior approval is a firm requirement, and retrospective approval for airfares is generally not granted. Keep all receipts, boarding passes, and booking confirmations.
How to Lodge a PATS Claim: The Practical Steps
The PATS claim form has several sections: one completed by the patient or their representative, one by the referring GP, and one by the treating specialist (confirming the appointment took place). The process works best when you collect the specialist's section on the day of the appointment rather than trying to obtain it afterwards. Many older travellers find it helpful to bring a printed copy of the form to the appointment itself and ask the specialist's receptionist to complete their section before you leave.
Once all sections are completed, the form is submitted to your local Country Health Connect office or as directed by SA Health. Submission should happen promptly — there are time limits on lodging claims after travel, and missing the window means losing the reimbursement entirely. Check the current lodgement deadline on the SA Health website, as administrative timelines can change.
If you are the partner or travel companion of the patient and are also claiming as an approved escort, your details and the escort approval need to be included in the same claim. Keep a personal record: note the date of travel, the odometer reading if you drove, accommodation receipts, and any toll costs. Organised records make the process considerably smoother and protect you if there is any query about the claim.
Practical Tips for Older Travellers and Couples Using PATS
If you are managing health appointments for yourself and a partner simultaneously — which is not uncommon in your sixties and seventies — clarify with SA Health whether two separate claims need to be lodged or whether they can be combined. Each patient's claim is generally assessed individually, but the administrative process can overlap when both parties are travelling together to the same facility.
For those travelling to Adelaide from further regional areas, consider the proximity of your accommodation to the relevant hospital or specialist centre. Areas around the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre have a range of accommodation options; some hospitals also have associated patient accommodation services that may be more affordable. Ask the hospital's patient services team or social worker about any supported accommodation options before booking commercially.
Accessibility matters. If you or your travel companion has mobility limitations, check that your accommodation is step-free and that you understand the transport options between where you are staying and the specialist's rooms. Adelaide's taxi and rideshare services are generally reliable, but if you are arriving by coach or train, confirm the station's accessibility in advance through the relevant operator. Building in an extra half-day of buffer around appointments reduces stress considerably.
Related Concessions Worth Knowing About
PATS does not exist in isolation. Country SA residents over 60, or those holding a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card or Pensioner Concession Card, may also qualify for other transport subsidies or discounted coach and rail fares when travelling for medical purposes. It is worth asking Services Australia and your local SA Health office whether any of these can be stacked or used alongside PATS reimbursement.
The South Australian Ambulance Service has separate provisions for non-emergency patient transport that may apply in specific circumstances — this is distinct from PATS and is administered differently. If your condition requires medical supervision during transit, this is the avenue to explore with your GP rather than PATS, which is designed for self-managed travel.
Victoria-based readers should note that this guide covers the SA scheme specifically. Victoria has its own Patient Transport Assistance scheme (through the Victorian Department of Health), and the two are not interchangeable. If you are a Victorian living near the SA border or if a family member lives in country SA, understanding which state's scheme applies to which trip is important — it depends on where the patient is a permanent resident, not where the specialist is located.
Keeping the Paperwork Manageable Over Time
For those with ongoing specialist care — regular oncology reviews, cardiac follow-ups, or chronic condition management — PATS claims become a routine part of the travel process rather than a one-off exercise. Setting up a simple folder system, either physical or digital, with a section for each trip makes it easier to track what has been submitted and what is pending. Note the lodgement date and keep a copy of each submitted form.
If you find the process confusing or are dealing with a complex health situation that involves multiple specialists or frequent travel, SA Health's Country Health Connect service can provide guidance. Some rural communities also have patient liaison officers or community health workers who can help with the administrative side. There is no benefit in struggling through the paperwork alone when that support exists.
Rates and rules change. The most important habit to build is checking the current PATS schedule on the SA Health website before each trip rather than relying on what applied last year. A brief phone call to your local Country Health Connect office before a planned trip can confirm eligibility, current rates, and any form updates — and that small step protects your claim.
Quick planning guide
| Who it's for | Permanent residents of rural or remote South Australia who generally live more than 100 kilometres from the nearest appropriate specialist; approved escorts travelling with the patient may also qualify. |
|---|---|
| How to start | See your GP for a referral to a specialist that can't reasonably be accessed closer to home; the GP completes part of the PATS claim form. |
| Typical cost | No cost to apply — PATS is a free scheme, but it only partially subsidises transport (per-kilometre) and accommodation (per-night) costs after travel, not a full reimbursement. |
| Time required | Not a fixed figure in the guide — there is a time limit for lodging a claim after travel, so check the current deadline with SA Health before submitting. |
| Where to get help | Local Country Health Connect office, SA Health directly, or rural patient liaison officers/community health workers for complex or ongoing claims. |
| Key documents needed | Completed PATS claim form (patient, GP and specialist sections), travel and accommodation receipts, boarding passes, booking confirmations, and odometer reading if driving. |
| Main planning consideration | Get prior approval from SA Health before booking air travel, and collect the specialist's section of the form on the day of the appointment to avoid delays. |
| Renewal or review | Per-kilometre and per-night rates are reviewed periodically, so confirm current figures and lodgement deadlines with SA Health or Country Health Connect before each trip. |
Key takeaways
- PATS subsidises transport and accommodation costs for South Australian country residents who must travel generally more than 100 kilometres to access specialist medical care.
- Both the patient and an approved escort may qualify for reimbursement — escort approval must be arranged in advance, not added retrospectively.
- The scheme reimburses after travel, at set per-kilometre and per-night rates; it is a partial subsidy, not a full cost recovery.
- Air travel requires prior approval from SA Health — do not book flights and assume retrospective approval will follow.
- Collect the specialist's section of the claim form on the day of the appointment, and lodge the completed form promptly to meet the submission deadline.
- Reimbursement rates are reviewed periodically — always confirm current figures with SA Health or Country Health Connect before travelling.
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Frequently asked questions
How far do you need to live from a specialist to qualify for PATS in South Australia?
The general threshold is more than 100 kilometres from the nearest appropriate specialist or approved facility, but SA Health assesses each case individually. The qualifying distance can vary depending on the type of care required. Your GP can advise whether your situation meets the criteria and will complete part of the referral section of the claim form.
Can a partner or family member travelling as an escort also claim under PATS?
Yes, an approved escort may also be eligible for transport and accommodation reimbursement under PATS. The escort's qualification needs to be documented and approved as part of the claim — it cannot be added after the fact. Raise this with your GP and SA Health before travel to ensure the escort is included correctly in the initial claim.
Does PATS cover the full cost of accommodation and travel?
No. PATS provides a partial subsidy based on set per-kilometre and per-night rates, not a full reimbursement of actual costs. In practice, particularly for accommodation in Adelaide, there will generally be an out-of-pocket gap. Confirm current subsidy rates with SA Health, as rates are reviewed periodically and published figures in articles may be out of date.
How long do you have to lodge a PATS claim after your trip?
There is a time limit on lodging PATS claims after travel, and missing it means forfeiting the reimbursement. The specific deadline is set by SA Health and can change, so check the current lodgement timeframe on the SA Health website or by contacting your local Country Health Connect office. As a general practice, aim to submit the completed form as soon as possible after the appointment.
Is PATS available to Victorian residents travelling to South Australian specialists?
No. PATS is a South Australian Government scheme available to permanent residents of rural or remote South Australia. Eligibility is based on where the patient permanently resides, not where the specialist is located. Victorian residents should enquire about Victoria's own patient transport assistance arrangements through the Victorian Department of Health.
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