Front desk coordinator vs patient coordinator

The differences between front desk coordinators and patient coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a front desk coordinator, becoming a patient coordinator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a patient coordinator has an average salary of $32,954, which is higher than the $31,667 average annual salary of a front desk coordinator.

The top three skills for a front desk coordinator include patients, customer service and check-in. The most important skills for a patient coordinator are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Front desk coordinator vs patient coordinator overview

	Front Desk Coordinator	Patient Coordinator
Yearly salary	$31,667	$32,954
Hourly rate	$15.22	$15.84
Growth rate	-	-4%
Number of jobs	119,803	97,878
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	42	40
Years of experience	2	4

What does a front desk coordinator do?

A Front-Desk Coordinator is the point of contact in a commercial establishment or building such as offices, clinics, salons, and even government agencies. The primary responsibility of a Front-Desk Coordinator is to greet and assist clients of their needs, such as filling-up registrations, appointing schedules, directing clients, and bridging information in a building. Because of these responsibilities, it is crucial to have a pleasing personality and excellent communication skills. Moreover, a Front-Desk Coordinator can also have the task of correspondence in which they are to communicate with clients through calls and emails.

What does a patient coordinator do?

A patient coordinator functions as the primary point of contact between health care professionals and patients in a medical facility. They mostly perform administrative tasks such as greeting visitors, answering calls, responding to inquiries, managing schedules, arranging appointments, processing payments, gathering information, and keeping records. Moreover, they assist in filling out forms, escorting patients to different rooms or offices, and setting treatment plans. Most importantly, they discuss and share necessary information with patients and families regarding medications, procedures, and proceeding care according to a physician's assessment.

Front desk coordinator vs patient coordinator salary

Front desk coordinators and patient coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Front Desk Coordinator	Patient Coordinator
Average salary	$31,667	$32,954
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $25,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Brockton, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between front desk coordinator and patient coordinator education

There are a few differences between a front desk coordinator and a patient coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Front Desk Coordinator	Patient Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Business
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Front desk coordinator vs patient coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between front desk coordinators' and patient coordinators' demographics:

	Front Desk Coordinator	Patient Coordinator
Average age	42	40
Gender ratio	Male, 9.4% Female, 90.6%	Male, 11.2% Female, 88.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 25.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 25.4% Asian, 6.2% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between front desk coordinator and patient coordinator duties and responsibilities

Front desk coordinator example responsibilities.

File invoices, process payments, collect payments, manage all customer files, using QuickBooks.
Manage check-in and registration process for all appointments including physician appointments and medical imaging.
Manage patient data per HIPAA regulations for scheduling, registration, and verification of insurance eligibility.
Enter patient demographics into computer utilize EMR system.
Verify insurance coverage for require procedures and assist patients with alternative options for payments.
Perform clerical/receptionist duties including greeting patients, check-in, and obtaining accurate insurance/demographic information for a gynecological office.

Patient coordinator example responsibilities.

Comply with HIPAA regulations by discreetly and professionally handling all patients private medical information.
Gather personal plus insurance information and perform thorough insurance breakdowns for patients.
Communicate directly with patients to obtain initial patient information and respond to inquiries.
Process and update HIPAA relate paperwork and other require institutional forms as necessary.
Obtain all necessary documentation prior to surgery such as proof of identification, copy of insurance and require insurance referrals.
Respond in writing to all grievances in accordance with CMS and DNV guidelines.

Front desk coordinator vs patient coordinator skills

Common front desk coordinator skills

Patients, 23%
Customer Service, 10%
Check-In, 9%
Front Desk, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Insurance Verification, 6%

Common patient coordinator skills

Patients, 30%
Customer Service, 11%
Patient Care, 6%
Patient Flow, 5%
Excellent Organizational, 4%
Check-In, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Front Desk Coordinator
Front Desk Coordinator vs Patient Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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