Clinical laboratory manager vs practice manager

The differences between clinical laboratory managers and practice managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a clinical laboratory manager and a practice manager. Additionally, a practice manager has an average salary of $107,374, which is higher than the $79,359 average annual salary of a clinical laboratory manager.

The top three skills for a clinical laboratory manager include CLIA, patients and test results. The most important skills for a practice manager are patients, patient care, and customer service.

Clinical laboratory manager vs practice manager overview

	Clinical Laboratory Manager	Practice Manager
Yearly salary	$79,359	$107,374
Hourly rate	$38.15	$51.62
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	96,325	38,196
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a clinical laboratory manager do?

A clinical laboratory manager supervises the work of laboratory technicians and scientists. Clinical laboratory managers develop safety policies of laboratories in line with the international accreditation standards. They oversee administrative and budgetary responsibilities. It is their responsibility to purchase laboratory supplies or prepare ordering lists. They ensure that the employees follow the standards and regulations set by the industry. The managers need to develop include knowledge in solving technical problems, time management, and maintain technical equipment.

What does a practice manager do?

A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.

Clinical laboratory manager vs practice manager salary

Clinical laboratory managers and practice managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Laboratory Manager	Practice Manager
Average salary	$79,359	$107,374
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $114,000	Between $65,000 And $175,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Providence, RI
Highest paying state	California	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Agilent Technologies	Davis Wright Tremaine
Best paying industry	Health Care	Technology

Differences between clinical laboratory manager and practice manager education

There are a few differences between a clinical laboratory manager and a practice manager in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Laboratory Manager	Practice Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Medical Technician	Business
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical laboratory manager vs practice manager demographics

Here are the differences between clinical laboratory managers' and practice managers' demographics:

	Clinical Laboratory Manager	Practice Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 42.5% Female, 57.5%	Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.8% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between clinical laboratory manager and practice manager duties and responsibilities

Clinical laboratory manager example responsibilities.

Lead and guide in developing quality improvement programs to continue delivering high quality services to physician and patients.
Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
Maintain LIS software updates for CPT procedure codes and ICD-9 coding.
Integrate an LIS system into the laboratory environment.
Facilitate testing of clinical trial samples in the CLIA lab for test waiting FDA clearance.
Set up auto-calculations for calculate results) and a patient means program as an additional QC.

Practice manager example responsibilities.

Secure new engagements worldwide, and lead numerous ERP and CRM initiatives.
Manage a great team of 7 consultants that deliver outstanding ERP solutions.
Supervise and manage a staff of 12.5 FTE personnel and 4 FTE physicians.
Accomplish at applying knowledge of veterinary science and compassion for animals to ensure optimal care.
Manage all aspects of establishing, setting and implementing standards and work processes to ensure well running PMO.
Manage the selection process and implementation of the practice's EMR by reviewing and updating the system as needed.

Clinical laboratory manager vs practice manager skills

Common clinical laboratory manager skills

CLIA, 10%
Patients, 9%
Test Results, 8%
Hematology, 7%
Microbiology, 7%
Customer Service, 6%

Common practice manager skills

Patients, 17%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
PET, 5%
Practice Management, 4%
Payroll, 3%

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Clinical Laboratory Manager
Clinical Laboratory Manager vs Practice Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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