Director of occupational therapy vs clinical manager

The differences between directors of occupational therapy and clinical 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 director of occupational therapy and a clinical manager. Additionally, a director of occupational therapy has an average salary of $88,320, which is higher than the $84,066 average annual salary of a clinical manager.

The top three skills for a director of occupational therapy include occupational therapy, patients and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a clinical manager are patients, customer service, and home health.

Director of occupational therapy vs clinical manager overview

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Clinical Manager
Yearly salary	$88,320	$84,066
Hourly rate	$42.46	$40.42
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	46,434	81,863
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a director of occupational therapy do?

A director of occupational therapy oversees the occupational therapy programs and projects in a medical or health facility. They have the authority to direct operations from planning to execution, establish budgets and schedules, set goals and protocols, and develop strategies to deliver quality care to clients. Their duties also entail performing extensive research and assessments, developing treatment plans for clients, reviewing reports, and coordinating with fellow experts. Additionally, as a director, it is essential to lead employees and implement policies and standards to ensure efficient services.

What does a clinical manager do?

A clinical manager is responsible for monitoring medical procedures and administrative duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations in a healthcare facility. Clinical managers manage the facility's staffing needs, evaluate budget reports, assist healthcare professionals on administering medical duties, and develop strategic procedures to optimize treatments and maximize productivity. A clinical manager enforces strict sanitary and safety regulations for everyone's strict compliance. They also need to have excellent knowledge of the medical industry to promote medical processes and provide the highest quality care.

Director of occupational therapy vs clinical manager salary

Directors of occupational therapy and clinical managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Clinical Manager
Average salary	$88,320	$84,066
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $137,000	Between $55,000 And $128,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	Genentech
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between director of occupational therapy and clinical manager education

There are a few differences between a director of occupational therapy and a clinical manager in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Clinical Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of occupational therapy vs clinical manager demographics

Here are the differences between directors of occupational therapy' and clinical managers' demographics:

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Clinical Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5%	Male, 22.6% Female, 77.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between director of occupational therapy and clinical manager duties and responsibilities

Director of occupational therapy example responsibilities.

Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
Develop independent living program for adult rehabilitation patients in preparation for discharge.
Addressed Medicare denials for all customers.
Prepare for JCAHO and CARF surveys.
Full procedure manual written base on CARF guidelines.
Recruit, train and supervise a cohesive staff of COTA's.

Clinical manager example responsibilities.

Track and manage IRB approvals.
Lead a team of 25 patient service coordinators and receptionists.
Manage and lead teams consisting of multiple internal departments as well as CRO and other vendors.
Manage data for research project billing and accountability for drug study product in accordance with FDA regulations.
Manage studies in association with the lead CRA to ensure all project expectations and milestones are meet.
Manage all facets of daily operations relating to imaging services, radiation therapy, and medical oncology services.

Director of occupational therapy vs clinical manager skills

Common director of occupational therapy skills

Occupational Therapy, 17%
Patients, 13%
Rehabilitation, 9%
Home Health, 8%
COTA, 8%
Program Development, 7%

Common clinical manager skills

Patients, 19%
Customer Service, 8%
Home Health, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Quality Patient Care, 5%
Patient Education, 3%

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Director Of Occupational Therapy
Director Of Occupational Therapy vs Clinical Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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