Appointment scheduler vs receptionist/billing clerk

The differences between appointment schedulers and receptionist/billing clerks 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 receptionist/billing clerk. Additionally, an appointment scheduler has an average salary of $34,414, which is higher than the $31,932 average annual salary of a receptionist/billing clerk.

The top three skills for an appointment scheduler include patients, phone calls and scheduling patient appointments. The most important skills for a receptionist/billing clerk are patients, data entry, and customer service.

Appointment scheduler vs receptionist/billing clerk overview

	Appointment Scheduler	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Yearly salary	$34,414	$31,932
Hourly rate	$16.55	$15.35
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	17,639	129,530
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	49	42
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 receptionist/billing clerk do?

A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.

Appointment scheduler vs receptionist/billing clerk salary

Appointment schedulers and receptionist/billing clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Appointment Scheduler	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average salary	$34,414	$31,932
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Santa Maria, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Alaska
Best paying company	UC Santa Barbara	Leggett & Platt
Best paying industry	Internet	Technology

Differences between appointment scheduler and receptionist/billing clerk education

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

	Appointment Scheduler	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Appointment scheduler vs receptionist/billing clerk demographics

Here are the differences between appointment schedulers' and receptionist/billing clerks' demographics:

	Appointment Scheduler	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average age	49	42
Gender ratio	Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6%	Male, 7.2% Female, 92.8%
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, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 5.7% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	9%	6%

Differences between appointment scheduler and receptionist/billing clerk 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.

Receptionist/billing clerk example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Obtain and track all insurance referrals for patients with HMO products.
Coordinate in-processing of all patients, to include accurate insurance information and payments are entered correctly into office computer system.
Move from SNF billing to HMO outpatient billing and keep a large alpha current.
Maintain confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA guidelines.
Develop effective billing strategies for Medicaid recipients according to HIPPA rules and regulations.

Appointment scheduler vs receptionist/billing clerk skills

Common appointment scheduler skills

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

Common receptionist/billing clerk skills

Patients, 25%
Data Entry, 11%
Customer Service, 9%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Appointment Scheduling, 6%
Front Desk, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Appointment Scheduler
Appointment Scheduler vs Receptionist/Billing Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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