How to Procure Your Ostomy Products

After your surgery and before you go home, you’ll learn how to use your ostomy pouching system, and how to order ostomy products through a Stoma Association.

Find out how to procure your ostomy products after surgery and how to sign up for a Stoma Association membership.

After you’ve had ostomy surgery, your Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN)/healthcare professional will ensure that you (or your carer) are capable of changing your ostomy pouching system. They will also connect you with a Stoma Association that will provide your ostomy supplies. Below is a list of important things to know before you head home:

1. How to fit your pouch
   Your STN/healthcare professional will provide you with your ostomy pouch size and product codes, and also will give you instructions on how to fit and apply your pouch. Your stoma size may change over the first two months, so it’s a good idea to re-check your pouch fit periodically.
2. How to become a member of a Stoma Association
   In order to purchase your ostomy products at a subsidised rate, you will need to become a member of a Stoma Association. An annual membership fee is required to assist the association with administration costs.
   
   Stoma Associations purchase ostomy products from suppliers such as Hollister Incorporated and distribute them to their members on a monthly basis. Most of these products are subsidised by the Australian Government. The Department of Health’s Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS), established in 1975, improves access to the most suitable and clinically appropriate stoma-related products.
   
   The Australian Council of Stoma Associations Inc. (ACSA) represents, at a national level, the interests of 21 regional Stoma Associations and approximately 46,000 people living with ostomies throughout Australia. The ACSA liaises with the Australian Government in matters related to accessing products funded through the SAS, coordinates ostomy-related support services, provides advocacy for people living with stomas, and publishes the national journal, Ostomy Australia.
   
   Useful links:
   • Find a Stoma Association Near You
   • Access SAS Forms (Your STN/healthcare professional can help you complete the necessary forms to become a member)
   • Find a Local Ostomy Support Group
   
   
3. How to order your ostomy products through the Stoma Appliance Scheme (SAS)
   Once you become a member of a Stoma Association, you will be able to obtain your ostomy products at a subsidised rate. The Association will provide you with details on how to place your monthly order.
4. How to find a Stomal Therapy Nurse (STN) near your home
   The Australian Association of Stomal Therapy Nurses (AASTN) is a professional organisation of STNs. One of their major objectives is to promote quality care for a wide range of people with specific needs. These needs may be related to ostomy construction, urinary or faecal incontinence, wounds with or without tube insertion, and breast surgery.
   
   The AASTN website provides a “Find a Stomal Nurse” feature to help you locate a STN in your State/Area. It also provides a helpful Managing Your Stoma Supplies guide.