Clinic receptionist vs patient service specialist

The differences between clinic receptionists and patient service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinic receptionist, becoming a patient service specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a patient service specialist has an average salary of $33,563, which is higher than the $31,647 average annual salary of a clinic receptionist.

The top three skills for a clinic receptionist include patients, customer service and medical terminology. The most important skills for a patient service specialist are patients, patient service, and physical therapy.

Clinic receptionist vs patient service specialist overview

	Clinic Receptionist	Patient Service Specialist
Yearly salary	$31,647	$33,563
Hourly rate	$15.21	$16.14
Growth rate	-	-4%
Number of jobs	93,243	105,915
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	42	40
Years of experience	2	4

What does a clinic receptionist do?

A clinic receptionist is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support clinical operations and provide the highest quality care services for the patients within a health care facility. Clinic receptionists receive and respond to patients' inquiries and concerns, manage doctor appointments, and verify medical procedure schedules. They also handle the patients' information, organize files, and confirm the patients' insurance details on the database. A clinic receptionist coordinates with suppliers and vendors to ensure the adequacy of medical inventories and maintenance repairs of equipment and machinery.

What does a patient service specialist do?

A patient service representative serves as a patient's primary point of contact in a hospital or clinic, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. They are mainly responsible for gathering a patient's information and medical history, verifying insurance forms, managing accounts, and processing payments, arranging appointments, and even performing reminder calls and correspondence. There are also instances when a patient service representative must discuss situations to patients and their families, and even alert the doctors when a patient displays strange or unlikely behavior.

Clinic receptionist vs patient service specialist salary

Clinic receptionists and patient service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinic Receptionist	Patient Service Specialist
Average salary	$31,647	$33,563
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $37,000	Between $27,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Oxnard, CA	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Emanate Health	Virginia Eye Institute
Best paying industry	Education	Health Care

Differences between clinic receptionist and patient service specialist education

There are a few differences between a clinic receptionist and a patient service specialist in terms of educational background:

	Clinic Receptionist	Patient Service Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Clinic receptionist vs patient service specialist demographics

Here are the differences between clinic receptionists' and patient service specialists' demographics:

	Clinic Receptionist	Patient Service Specialist
Average age	42	40
Gender ratio	Male, 8.5% Female, 91.5%	Male, 12.5% Female, 87.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between clinic receptionist and patient service specialist duties and responsibilities

Clinic receptionist example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Perform all assign tasks relate to admitting patients, discharging patients, laboratory, radiology, and respiratory services.
Schedule radiology exams for patients.
Schedule appointments, register new patients, update patient demographics, and provide comprehensive information.
Record physician orders on patients' charts in hospital MediTech computerize charting system.
Collect and verify patients' identity and insurance information and enter it into the MEDITECH system.

Patient service specialist example responsibilities.

Benefit coverage eligibility or concerns for patients will be complete timely to achieve identify outcomes or solutions.
Greet patients and visitors with warmth, compassion, and demonstrate commitment to exceptional service.
Provide customer service to patients via registration, co-pay and co-insurance payment collection, appointment scheduling and telephone service
Obtain patient demographic, billing, insurance, and other necessary intake information for patients seeking rehabilitation services.
Screen, triage, register and verify a high volume of client eligibility and demographic data.
Direct callers to appropriate personnel, and initiate a triage slip for response by medical personnel.

Clinic receptionist vs patient service specialist skills

Common clinic receptionist skills

Patients, 31%
Customer Service, 9%
Medical Terminology, 7%
Phone Calls, 7%
Appointment Scheduling, 5%
Patient Appointments, 4%

Common patient service specialist skills

Patients, 20%
Patient Service, 9%
Physical Therapy, 8%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Appointments, 8%
Front Desk, 7%

Clinic Receptionist vs. similar jobs

Clinic Receptionist related careers

Clinic Receptionist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Clinic Receptionist
Clinic Receptionist vs Patient Service Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs