Medical office secretary vs unit secretary

The differences between medical office secretaries and unit secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a medical office secretary and a unit secretary. Additionally, a medical office secretary has an average salary of $32,609, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a medical office secretary include patients, patient appointments and front desk. The most important skills for a unit secretary are patients, patient care, and medical terminology.

Medical office secretary vs unit secretary overview

	Medical Office Secretary	Unit Secretary
Yearly salary	$32,609	$32,153
Hourly rate	$15.68	$15.46
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	115,116	69,543
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

What does a medical office secretary do?

A medical office secretary carries out clerical duties in a health professional's office. They are responsible for typing correspondence and reports, maintaining files, paying vendors, handling insurance forms, billing patients, dealing with clients, scheduling appointments, taking phone calls, and greeting patients when they get to the office. The qualifications for this position include knowledge of computer software, medical terminology, health insurance rules, and medical building procedures.

What does a unit secretary do?

Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.

Medical office secretary vs unit secretary salary

Medical office secretaries and unit secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Office Secretary	Unit Secretary
Average salary	$32,609	$32,153
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $39,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between medical office secretary and unit secretary education

There are a few differences between a medical office secretary and a unit secretary in terms of educational background:

	Medical Office Secretary	Unit Secretary
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Medical office secretary vs unit secretary demographics

Here are the differences between medical office secretaries' and unit secretaries' demographics:

	Medical Office Secretary	Unit Secretary
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 9.8% Female, 90.2%	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical office secretary and unit secretary duties and responsibilities

Medical office secretary example responsibilities.

Evaluate all EOB's to insure accurate payment is received and when necessary will file appeals to achieve optimal payments.
Enter new patients confidential information into computer database also discharge patients and enter chart information containing ICD-9 and CPT codes.
Attend various billing, Medicare, Medicaid and HIPPA workshops to stay abreast of changing policies.
Greet patients -schedule appointments -Answered telephones and direct calls -obtain demographic and insurance information -collect co-payments -verify insurance coverage
Obtain patient demographics and record patient information including health history, insurance responsibility forms, and appropriate HIPAA documentation.
Comply with all HIPAA laws and patient privacy policies.

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

Medical office secretary vs unit secretary skills

Common medical office secretary skills

Patients, 35%
Patient Appointments, 13%
Front Desk, 5%
Medical Terminology, 5%
Check-In, 4%
Data Entry, 3%

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

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Medical Office Secretary
Medical Office Secretary vs Unit Secretary

Updated January 8, 2025

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