Appointment coordinator vs unit secretary

The differences between appointment coordinators and unit secretaries 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 unit secretary. Additionally, a unit secretary has an average salary of $32,153, 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 unit secretary are patients, patient care, and medical terminology.

Appointment coordinator vs unit secretary overview

	Appointment Coordinator	Unit Secretary
Yearly salary	$31,144	$32,153
Hourly rate	$14.97	$15.46
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	72,134	69,543
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
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 unit secretary do?

Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.

Appointment coordinator vs unit secretary salary

Appointment coordinators and unit secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Appointment Coordinator	Unit Secretary
Average salary	$31,144	$32,153
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $37,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between appointment coordinator and unit secretary education

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

	Appointment Coordinator	Unit Secretary
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Appointment coordinator vs unit secretary demographics

Here are the differences between appointment coordinators' and unit secretaries' demographics:

	Appointment Coordinator	Unit Secretary
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 14.9% Female, 85.1%	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
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 unit secretary 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.

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

Appointment coordinator vs unit secretary skills

Common appointment coordinator skills

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

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

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Appointment Coordinator
Appointment Coordinator vs Unit Secretary

Updated January 8, 2025

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