Appointment coordinator vs medical receptionist

The differences between appointment coordinators and medical receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an appointment coordinator and a medical receptionist. Additionally, a medical receptionist has an average salary of $31,960, which is higher than the $31,144 average annual salary of an appointment coordinator.

The top three skills for an appointment coordinator include patients, customer service and repair orders. The most important skills for a medical receptionist are patients, customer service, and check-in.

Appointment coordinator vs medical receptionist overview

	Appointment Coordinator	Medical Receptionist
Yearly salary	$31,144	$31,960
Hourly rate	$14.97	$15.37
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	72,134	118,048
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Associate Degree, 28%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

What does an appointment coordinator do?

Appointment coordinators are professionals who are responsible for coordinating and initiating business appointments between external associates and the organization's top management. These coordinators are required to schedule all appointments for their customer service representatives and directing them to maintain a positive attitude and customer service to their clients. They must supervise the service department by implement employee procedures and answering most of their incoming phone calls. Appointment coordinators must also perform administrative duties such as faxing, filing records, and data entry.

What does a medical receptionist do?

Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital. They help patients to their respective appointments. They also assist doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners by ensuring that the schedule for the day is being followed. They are also in charge of assisting visitors by directing them wherever they would need to go. Medical receptionists also answer inquiries by patients or visitors. Medical knowledge, great customer service skills, and a friendly attitude are needed.

Appointment coordinator vs medical receptionist salary

Appointment coordinators and medical receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Appointment Coordinator	Medical Receptionist
Average salary	$31,144	$31,960
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $37,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	-	Maine
Best paying company	-	CENTER FOR SIGHT
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between appointment coordinator and medical receptionist education

There are a few differences between an appointment coordinator and a medical receptionist in terms of educational background:

	Appointment Coordinator	Medical Receptionist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Associate Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Appointment coordinator vs medical receptionist demographics

Here are the differences between appointment coordinators' and medical receptionists' demographics:

	Appointment Coordinator	Medical Receptionist
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 14.9% Female, 85.1%	Male, 5.2% Female, 94.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between appointment coordinator and medical receptionist duties and responsibilities

Appointment coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage check-in and registration process for all appointments including physician appointments and medical imaging.
Schedule re-check appointment and MRI appointments.
Make sure all HIPAA laws are adhere to.
Schedule new patient, re-check and MRI counseling appointments.
Access EMR to respond to clinic/patient request for medical information.
Maintain confidentiality of all patient information per HIPAA guidelines.

Medical receptionist example responsibilities.

Conduct analysis to address long wait times which lead to faster triage, shorter wait times.
Evaluate all EOB's to insure accurate payment is received and when necessary will file appeals to achieve optimal payments.
Greet and check-in patients, including obtaining accurate patient demographic information, patient registration, and checking insurance eligibility.
Learned and operate chiropractic equipment (decompression; Leander) & x-rays; enabling Dr to have more time for patients.
Resolve concerns of terminally ill patients with compassion and professionalism.
Identify patients' specific scheduling requirements while demonstrating care and compassion via telephone.

Appointment coordinator vs medical receptionist skills

Common appointment coordinator skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 15%
Repair Orders, 9%
Data Entry, 6%
Service Calls, 6%
Phone Calls, 5%

Common medical receptionist skills

Patients, 30%
Customer Service, 9%
Check-In, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Patient Care, 4%
Front Desk, 4%

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Appointment Coordinator
Appointment Coordinator vs Medical Receptionist

Updated January 8, 2025

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