Director of occupational therapy vs patient care manager

The differences between directors of occupational therapy and patient care 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 patient care manager. Additionally, a director of occupational therapy has an average salary of $88,320, which is higher than the $65,369 average annual salary of a patient care manager.

The top three skills for a director of occupational therapy include occupational therapy, patients and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a patient care manager are home health, patients, and quality care.

Director of occupational therapy vs patient care manager overview

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Patient Care Manager
Yearly salary	$88,320	$65,369
Hourly rate	$42.46	$31.43
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	46,434	123,652
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
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 patient care manager do?

Patient care managers are executives who are in charge of supervising a clinical team. The managers take responsibility for directing patient care within an organization. Also called health care managers, they protect every patient's safety and health in a clinical setting. They interact with the healthcare team members to maintain open communication. It is also part of their duties to supervise the daily operations in the clinical care units. Managing clinical budgets and maintaining quality health services are also their responsibilities.

Director of occupational therapy vs patient care manager salary

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

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Patient Care Manager
Average salary	$88,320	$65,369
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $137,000	Between $36,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City	-	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Accenture
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between director of occupational therapy and patient care manager education

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

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Patient Care Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of occupational therapy vs patient care manager demographics

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

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Patient Care Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5%	Male, 17.1% Female, 82.9%
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, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 7.4% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between director of occupational therapy and patient care 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.

Patient care manager example responsibilities.

Manage complicated cases involving serious injuries, medical evacuations, cruise ship disembarkation, and repatriation of remains with compassion.
Direct oversight of all case management and education relate to chronic disease and primary care management.
Utilize resources such as financial and pharmacy assistance for uninsure patients to receive professional medical care upon discharge.
Prevent unnecessary hospital admissions using keen assessment skills and redirecting to PCP's office when appropriate.
Ensure compliance both with HIPAA and CMS, to include all audits and enrollments via Medicare.
Plant and maintain flower beds such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, and pruning.

Director of occupational therapy vs patient care manager skills

Common director of occupational therapy skills

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

Common patient care manager skills

Home Health, 15%
Patients, 12%
Quality Care, 8%
Social Work, 7%
Community Resources, 4%
Substance Abuse, 4%

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Director Of Occupational Therapy
Director Of Occupational Therapy vs Patient Care Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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