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Health assistant vs health technician

The differences between health assistants and health technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a health technician has an average salary of $37,873, which is higher than the $31,960 average annual salary of a health assistant.

The top three skills for a health assistant include patients, CPR and customer service. The most important skills for a health technician are patients, excellent interpersonal, and customer service.

Health assistant vs health technician overview

Health AssistantHealth Technician
Yearly salary$31,960$37,873
Hourly rate$15.37$18.21
Growth rate16%9%
Number of jobs100,084110,277
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age3734
Years of experience12-

What does a health assistant do?

A health assistant is responsible for providing quality care for the patients under the supervision of registered nurses and attending physicians. Health assistants perform basic medical procedures, such as collecting specimens for examinations, checking the patients' conditions, and administering required medications. They also assist health care professionals in conducting complex medical processes by preparing the equipment and ensuring the cleanliness of the operating room. A health assistant keeps an organized record of medical charts for the doctor's reference and may also coordinate with the patient's family for medical updates.

What does a health technician do?

A health technician is responsible for supporting medical operations in a health care facility by performing administrative and clerical duties, ensuring that the organization provides the highest quality care service to the patients. Health technicians process patients' information, manage their medical payments, monitor their conditions as instructed by physicians, maintain an organized medical chart, administer medication, and assist in conducting medical procedures. They also check the adequacy of stock inventories and write request reports, as well as inspecting the cleanliness of all the medical tools and equipment during operations.

Health assistant vs health technician salary

Health assistants and health technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health AssistantHealth Technician
Average salary$31,960$37,873
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $43,000Between $27,000 And $51,000
Highest paying CityCambridge, MABoston, MA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsMassachusetts
Best paying companyBoston Public SchoolsMeta
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between health assistant and health technician education

There are a few differences between a health assistant and a health technician in terms of educational background:

Health AssistantHealth Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 45%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college-Emory University

Health assistant vs health technician demographics

Here are the differences between health assistants' and health technicians' demographics:

Health AssistantHealth Technician
Average age3734
Gender ratioMale, 17.9% Female, 82.1%Male, 30.9% Female, 69.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.5% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage6%15%

Differences between health assistant and health technician duties and responsibilities

Health assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
  • Review and do compliance of school health records in NYC public schools to ensure adherence to protocols and for quality control.
  • Study correlation of high incarceration rates and community health indicators in NYC neighborhoods
  • Provide breastfeeding promotion to all WIC women as the preferred infant feeding method.
  • Learned how to triage campers during health center hours on a case to case basis.
  • Perform diagnostic procedure including but not limit to EKG's, urine dipsticks, etc.
  • Show more

Health technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain and manage medical and administrative records for all patients assign to clinic area to assure accurate care and patient confidentiality.
  • Supervise labs, diets, schedule radiology procedures, EKG's, respiratory, and medical tasks for patients.
  • Can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and/or initiate appropriate emergency alert notifications.
  • Administer ABA therapy for children with autism and provide support for other technicians when not with own clients.
  • Assist providers in direct physical examinations, minor procedures, emergency care to include CPR, and other clinical duties.
  • Assist children with autism spectrum disorders in learning life still and helping them transition successfully in all aspects of their lives.
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Health assistant vs health technician skills

Common health assistant skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • CPR, 10%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Mental Health, 5%
  • Health Services, 4%
Common health technician skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 8%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Blood Pressure, 6%
  • Veterans, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%

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