Appointment scheduler vs medical receptionist

The differences between appointment schedulers 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 scheduler and a medical receptionist. Additionally, an appointment scheduler has an average salary of $34,414, which is higher than the $31,960 average annual salary of a medical receptionist.

The top three skills for an appointment scheduler include patients, phone calls and scheduling patient appointments. The most important skills for a medical receptionist are patients, customer service, and check-in.

Appointment scheduler vs medical receptionist overview

	Appointment Scheduler	Medical Receptionist
Yearly salary	$34,414	$31,960
Hourly rate	$16.55	$15.37
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	17,639	118,048
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 28%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

What does an appointment scheduler do?

An appointment scheduler works in the health care field in a medical office. Appointment schedulers contact patients with regards to their upcoming appointments. They direct calls to the appropriate staff members, pull medical records, and perform general clerical works. Their job involves educating patients or clients on health products and services. They also resolve the complaints and inquiries of the patients as well as other administrative duties.

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 scheduler vs medical receptionist salary

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

	Appointment Scheduler	Medical Receptionist
Average salary	$34,414	$31,960
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Maine
Best paying company	UC Santa Barbara	CENTER FOR SIGHT
Best paying industry	Internet	Health Care

Differences between appointment scheduler and medical receptionist education

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

	Appointment Scheduler	Medical Receptionist
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Associate Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Appointment scheduler vs medical receptionist demographics

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

	Appointment Scheduler	Medical Receptionist
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6%	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 scheduler and medical receptionist duties and responsibilities

Appointment scheduler example responsibilities.

Manage patient pre-op responsibilities, and generate all necessary paperwork.
Utilize the appropriate screening tools to accurately schedule internally refer patients for MRI appointments.
Obtain and enter complete registration demographic and insurance verification information (primary and secondary) into EMR system.
Implement a new TCMS and EHR database for the doctor's internal use.
Organize & archive electronic documents; scan and link charts and documents into the EHR
Used knowledge of key medical terms to determine patient's symptoms and refer to triage nurse when applicable.

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 scheduler vs medical receptionist skills

Common appointment scheduler skills

Patients, 33%
Phone Calls, 10%
Scheduling Patient Appointments, 8%
Customer Service, 5%
Outbound Calls, 4%
Medical Terminology, 4%

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 Scheduler vs Medical Receptionist

Updated January 8, 2025

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