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Hospital technician vs clinical technician

The differences between hospital technicians and clinical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a hospital technician and a clinical technician. Additionally, a clinical technician has an average salary of $35,760, which is higher than the $34,666 average annual salary of a hospital technician.

The top three skills for a hospital technician include patients, customer service and hospital policies. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Hospital technician vs clinical technician overview

Hospital TechnicianClinical Technician
Yearly salary$34,666$35,760
Hourly rate$16.67$17.19
Growth rate11%9%
Number of jobs78,657161,812
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age4544
Years of experience1212

What does a hospital technician do?

A hospital technician assists the doctors and nurses in a clinic or hospital. They assist healthcare administrators in providing quality health care to patients, which may include providing prescriptions to patients. They are expected to keep patient records, and they may also be called upon to operate some laboratory equipment. This position requires basic knowledge of how to operate hospital equipment.

What does a clinical technician do?

A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.

Hospital technician vs clinical technician salary

Hospital technicians and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Hospital TechnicianClinical Technician
Average salary$34,666$35,760
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $45,000Between $26,000 And $48,000
Highest paying CityJersey City, NJSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateConnecticutAlaska
Best paying companyBaystate HealthBrigham and Women's Hospital
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between hospital technician and clinical technician education

There are a few differences between a hospital technician and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:

Hospital TechnicianClinical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorBusinessNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Connecticut

Hospital technician vs clinical technician demographics

Here are the differences between hospital technicians' and clinical technicians' demographics:

Hospital TechnicianClinical Technician
Average age4544
Gender ratioMale, 32.1% Female, 67.9%Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage9%8%

Differences between hospital technician and clinical technician duties and responsibilities

Hospital technician example responsibilities.

  • Ensure proper transfer and disposition of medical record to the VA in CHCS are accomplished according to establish policies and procedures.
  • Verify patient demographics are correct in CHCS.
  • Book all medical appointments within HIPPA guidelines.
  • Communicate hospital rules and regulations to patients, relate availability of benefits provide to patients by various social service programs.
  • Interview patients in ER clinics and inpatient areas to obtain identify and financial information, verify patient eligibility for hospital service.
  • Construct telephone consults and referrals and input data into AHLTA.
  • Show more

Clinical technician example responsibilities.

  • Prepare QC and QA samples for validity testing.
  • Resolve issues from level 1 EMR support as well as EMR issues transfer from other departments.
  • Recognize life threatening situations and activate the emergency response system while assisting with CPR and code cart.
  • Report and document description of patient care information in EMR in accordance with hospital policy and procedure.
  • Participate in reviews and QC of external central laboratory contracts, sample kits and manuals and ensure accuracy.
  • Assist in advance and basic life support techniques, perform EKG's, blood withdrawal, and computer order entry.
  • Show more

Hospital technician vs clinical technician skills

Common hospital technician skills
  • Patients, 42%
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Hospital Policies, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Direct Patient Care, 5%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
Common clinical technician skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • Direct Patient Care, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • EKG, 4%

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