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Counselor/case manager vs medical case manager

The differences between counselor/case managers and medical case managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a counselor/case manager, becoming a medical case manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a medical case manager has an average salary of $42,432, which is higher than the $39,562 average annual salary of a counselor/case manager.

The top three skills for a counselor/case manager include crisis intervention, patients and social work. The most important skills for a medical case manager are patients, rehabilitation, and care coordination.

Counselor/case manager vs medical case manager overview

Counselor/Case ManagerMedical Case Manager
Yearly salary$39,562$42,432
Hourly rate$19.02$20.40
Growth rate12%28%
Number of jobs88,28585,820
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age4347
Years of experience126

What does a counselor/case manager do?

A Counselor provides advice for coping with everyday situations, relationships, health challenges, or disabilities of patients. Case Managers develop, monitor, and evaluate treatment plans and the progress of patients within the social service departments, healthcare companies, hospital networks, etc.

What does a medical case manager do?

The primary role of a Medical Case Manager is to monitor the patients treatment plan to ensure that physicians are doing their jobs properly. They are also responsible for improving the quality of patient services, increasing revenue, analyzing the information gathered by investigations, and reporting recommendations.

Counselor/case manager vs medical case manager salary

Counselor/case managers and medical case managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Counselor/Case ManagerMedical Case Manager
Average salary$39,562$42,432
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $47,000Between $26,000 And $67,000
Highest paying CityDenver, COWalnut Creek, CA
Highest paying stateConnecticutCalifornia
Best paying companyParkland HospitalAIG
Best paying industryEducationInsurance

Differences between counselor/case manager and medical case manager education

There are a few differences between a counselor/case manager and a medical case manager in terms of educational background:

Counselor/Case ManagerMedical Case Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common majorPsychologyNursing
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Counselor/case manager vs medical case manager demographics

Here are the differences between counselor/case managers' and medical case managers' demographics:

Counselor/Case ManagerMedical Case Manager
Average age4347
Gender ratioMale, 30.8% Female, 69.2%Male, 19.8% Female, 80.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage11%12%

Differences between counselor/case manager and medical case manager duties and responsibilities

Counselor/case manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage the care of patients with tuberculosis (TB) during their hospitalization and their discharge follow-up care.
  • Provide individual therapy for addict patients with depression, bipolar, anxiety, attention deficit, antisocial/borderline/obsessive compulsive/narcissistic tendencies.
  • Collaborate with patients to develop individualize treatment plans and assist patients with updating their goals according to their progress.
  • Perform concurrent review to assure appropriateness of admission, inpatient/acute care, rehabilitation/SNF status, and discharge using establish InterQual guidelines.
  • Prepare documentation for HOPWA applications.

Medical case manager example responsibilities.

  • Provide clients support with basic ADL's (shopping, payee services, budgets, managing and attending appointments).
  • Facilitate rehabilitation plans with TPA/Provider/Treatment team to provide professional case management services to catastrophically injure patients after auto injury.
  • Collaborate with inpatient medical team and case management department to promote effective discharge planning and utilization management of hospitalize patients.
  • Coordinate medical management and vocational rehabilitation.
  • Attend weekly DHS case conferences to ensure client compliance and progress with obtaining and securing permanent housing.
  • Report, maintain, and update case data, goal attainment, and outcomes into the HMIS system.
  • Show more

Counselor/case manager vs medical case manager skills

Common counselor/case manager skills
  • Crisis Intervention, 13%
  • Patients, 9%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Mental Health, 7%
  • Intake Assessments, 6%
  • Substance Abuse Issues, 6%
Common medical case manager skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • Rehabilitation, 8%
  • Care Coordination, 7%
  • Social Work, 6%
  • Home Health, 6%
  • Customer Service, 6%

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