Laboratory director vs patient care manager

The differences between laboratory directors 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 laboratory director and a patient care manager. Additionally, a laboratory director has an average salary of $92,971, which is higher than the $65,369 average annual salary of a patient care manager.

The top three skills for a laboratory director include clinical laboratory, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a patient care manager are home health, patients, and quality care.

Laboratory director vs patient care manager overview

	Laboratory Director	Patient Care Manager
Yearly salary	$92,971	$65,369
Hourly rate	$44.70	$31.43
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	59,500	123,652
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a laboratory director do?

A Laboratory Director is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the laboratory. They examine data, create reports, manage the staff, and ensure that the lab facility operates in accordance with the regulatory provisions of the government and the organization.

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.

Laboratory director vs patient care manager salary

Laboratory directors and patient care managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Director	Patient Care Manager
Average salary	$92,971	$65,369
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $156,000	Between $36,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	Delaware	California
Best paying company	Reed Smith	Accenture
Best paying industry	Media	Health Care

Differences between laboratory director and patient care manager education

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

	Laboratory Director	Patient Care Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Laboratory director vs patient care manager demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory directors' and patient care managers' demographics:

	Laboratory Director	Patient Care Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 17.1% Female, 82.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 8.1% White, 61.8% 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 laboratory director and patient care manager duties and responsibilities

Laboratory director example responsibilities.

Perform and manage quality control, maintenance and calibration of all equipment in hematology, coagulation and urinalysis.
Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
Consult patients on various laboratory procedures involve in IVF.
Supervise 8 managers and 130 full-time employees (FTEs).
Focus on sterility, endotoxin, water and bioburden testing.
Restore compliance integrity of lab back to full capacity in time for JCAHO inspection.

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.

Laboratory director vs patient care manager skills

Common laboratory director skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Patients, 10%
Patient Care, 9%
CLIA, 6%
Test Results, 6%
Laboratory Services, 4%

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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Laboratory Director
Laboratory Director vs Patient Care Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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