How to hire an mds coordinator

How to hire an mds coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mds coordinator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an mds coordinator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new mds coordinator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an mds coordinator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an mds coordinator, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect mds coordinator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents mds coordinator salaries for various positions.

   Type of MDS Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   MDS Coordinator	Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.	$25-45
   Nurse	Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor... Show more	$18-41
   Registered Nurse	The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions... Show more	$21-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Rehabilitation
   • Assessment Process
   • Quality Care
   • Medicare
   • Medicaid
   • Home Health
   • State Regulations
   • LTC
   • Social Services
   • CMS
   • Rug
   • Federal Regulations
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage timely completion of MDS assessments by other departments, appropriate CAA completion, scheduling of MDS.
   • Close attention to ARD and coordination with rehab director to attain maximum reimbursement under PPS and follow OBRA guidelines.
   • Manage and coordinate the workload of the release team members and are responsible for organizing and hosting all production release windows.
   • Perform assessments of residents in facility per Medicaid/Medicare guidelines, data entry of assessments, transmit assessments to Medicaid and Medicare.
   • Perform assessments using the MDS form for LTC and transmit those to the state for Medicare revenue and compliance.
   • Charge nurse responsible for 50 SNF patients and supervise 60 staff members, providing formal and informal education for patient/family.

   More mds coordinator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your mds coordinator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An mds coordinator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, mds coordinators' average salary in kentucky is 52% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level mds coordinators earn 44% less than senior-level mds coordinators.
   • Certifications. An mds coordinator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an mds coordinator's salary.

   Average mds coordinator salary

   $71,862yearly

   $34.55 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mds coordinator salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average mds coordinator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$110,500	$53
   2	New York	$109,756	$53
   3	New Jersey	$87,914	$42
   4	Hawaii	$84,777	$41
   5	Texas	$77,008	$37
   6	Arizona	$76,908	$37
   7	Maryland	$74,691	$36
   8	Virginia	$73,685	$35
   9	Indiana	$72,641	$35
   10	Minnesota	$71,617	$34
   11	Colorado	$69,131	$33
   12	North Carolina	$68,430	$33
   13	Ohio	$67,946	$33
   14	New Mexico	$67,740	$33
   15	Illinois	$67,265	$32
   16	Georgia	$65,535	$32
   17	Alabama	$64,259	$31
   18	Florida	$60,910	$29
   19	Missouri	$55,732	$27

   Average mds coordinator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$103,311	$49.67
   2	Tenet Healthcare	$90,395	$43.46	276
   3	Senior Living Properties	$89,932	$43.24
   4	GradyHealth	$88,910	$42.75	18
   5	Dean Health Plan	$85,932	$41.31
   6	Miller County Hospital	$85,807	$41.25
   7	Hackensack Meridian Health	$84,583	$40.66	101
   8	PROFESSIONAL NURSING SERVICES	$84,551	$40.65
   9	Care Initiatives	$83,514	$40.15	31
   10	Encompass Health	$82,558	$39.69	436
   11	Brooks Rehabilitation	$81,775	$39.31	23
   12	North Shore Healthcare	$81,762	$39.31	69
   13	BridgePoint Healthcare	$80,385	$38.65	9
   14	The Coca-Cola Company	$80,278	$38.60	1
   15	Nevada Regional Medical Center	$79,677	$38.31	2
   16	NHC	$79,390	$38.17	84
   17	Frontline	$78,977	$37.97	7
   18	Orlando Health	$78,533	$37.76	72
   19	Mee Memorial Healthcare System	$77,753	$37.38	1
   20	Beacon Health Options	$77,641	$37.33	23

4. Writing an mds coordinator job description

   An mds coordinator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an mds coordinator job description:

   Mds coordinator job description example

   $4,000 Sign-On Bonus! Join our team and grow with us both professionally and personally!
   
   Acts Retirement-Life Communities is the nation's largest not-for-profit owner, operator, and developer of resort-style continuing care senior living communities, including independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care. The Acts family proudly consists of 26 communities in 9 states, and over 7,000 employees. Acts provides residents with a lifestyle that includes on-campus conveniences, services, and amenities such as casual and fine dining venues, beauty salons, fitness centers, security, healthcare, activity programs, and much more. Our employees are inspired by a culture of Loving-Kindness, and we are fully committed to appreciating the array of backgrounds and talents demonstrated by our employees.
   
   Bayleigh Chase is currently seeking qualified candidates for the role of MDS/Care Coordinator in our skilled nursing neighborhood. Our beautiful, gated community is located in Easton, MD.
   
   In this role, you will be responsible for the coordination of care for existing residents and new admissions to the skilled care community (SCC), which includes initial and routine assessments and coordination of assessments by other interdisciplinary team members. Ensures compliance and accurate completion of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and the oversight and development of the care planning process. Serves as the liaison between the community, the payer, and the corporate office. Coordinates the restorative nursing care program by screening, setting and updating goals for residents, and educating staff on the implementation.
   
   The ideal candidate will meet the following requirements:
   
   + Current State Registered Nurse (RN) license
   
   + Minimum of two years' experience with Minimum Data Set (MDS) in a long-term care setting
   
   + Current or eligible for certification in CPR
   
   To protect the health and safety of our residents, employees, and the communities we serve, Acts has implemented a universal COVID-19 and Influenza (Flu) vaccination requirement for all employees. Qualified reasonable accommodation requests for medical and religious exemption will be reviewed by the Human Resources Department.
   
   Full-time employees are eligible for a generous benefit package including health benefits (medical, dental and vision), health spending account, life insurance, disability programs, 401(k) with 4% company match, paid time off (PTO) and holidays, and much more! Some part-time positions may also be eligible to receive certain benefits.
   
   For more information or to apply, visit us at www.acts-jobs.org.
   
   Acts is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Acts is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process.
   
   #ActsHeros
   
   Street: 501 Dutchman's Lane

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find mds coordinators for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any mds coordinators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level mds coordinators with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mds coordinator job on Zippia to find and recruit mds coordinator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit mds coordinators, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new mds coordinator

   Once you've found the mds coordinator candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new mds coordinator. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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