Patient access associate vs registration specialist

The differences between patient access associates and registration specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a patient access associate and a registration specialist. Additionally, a patient access associate has an average salary of $35,388, which is higher than the $30,422 average annual salary of a registration specialist.

The top three skills for a patient access associate include patients, customer service and insurance verification. The most important skills for a registration specialist are patients, customer service, and medical terminology.

Patient access associate vs registration specialist overview

	Patient Access Associate	Registration Specialist
Yearly salary	$35,388	$30,422
Hourly rate	$17.01	$14.63
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	85,997	79,118
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a patient access associate do?

A patient access associate serves as a patient's primary point of contact in a physician's office or medical facility. Their responsibilities include greeting and checking in patients, gathering patient data, collecting billing information and medical history, and providing assistance in filling-up forms and necessary documents. They may also address and answer patient inquiries, explaining the protocols and other information as needed. Furthermore, as a patient access associate, it is essential to perform administrative tasks such as keeping records and updating databases, all while maintaining an active communication line with nurses and physicians.

What does a registration specialist do?

A registration specialist is responsible for managing patient information, including the verification of their insurance details and medical treatment schedules. Registration specialists assign admission rooms and processing payments for discharge. They also assist patients with the completion of medical forms by helping them fill-out papers with the most accurate information. A registration specialist performs administrative and clerical duties as needed, requiring them to have excellent data management skills to process information and provide the highest quality care services for the patients.

Patient access associate vs registration specialist salary

Patient access associates and registration specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Access Associate	Registration Specialist
Average salary	$35,388	$30,422
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $51,000	Between $23,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	New York	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Raymond James Financial	Deloitte
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Health Care

Differences between patient access associate and registration specialist education

There are a few differences between a patient access associate and a registration specialist in terms of educational background:

	Patient Access Associate	Registration Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Patient access associate vs registration specialist demographics

Here are the differences between patient access associates' and registration specialists' demographics:

	Patient Access Associate	Registration Specialist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4%	Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.0% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between patient access associate and registration specialist duties and responsibilities

Patient access associate example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPPA and clinic.
Coordinate scheduling, cross-checking, billing, explaining HIPAA, and care savings programs to patients.
Register patients for outpatient laboratory and/or radiology services.
Collect and update demographic and insurance information from emergency room and labor and delivery patients for registration and/or admissions.
Interview patients and ensure accuracy of all information necessary, including demographic information, insurance verification, and insurance authorizations.
Follow EMTALA, HIPAA, payer and other applicable regulations and standards for registration.

Registration specialist example responsibilities.

Attain and authenticate patient insurance information, counsel patients on changes in insurance policies, verify patient demographics.
Help patients through the registration and admitting processes and also contribute to the PBX department.
Input data entries for insurance billing; adding CPT codes and diagnosis from face sheets as patients arrive.
Act as hospital PBX operator.
Complete all charge entry, enter all CPT and ICD-9 codes for billing for multiple doctors each day.
Enter patient information and verify information according to HIPAA regulations.

Patient access associate vs registration specialist skills

Common patient access associate skills

Patients, 23%
Customer Service, 15%
Insurance Verification, 8%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Patient Care, 5%
Insurance Coverage, 4%

Common registration specialist skills

Patients, 25%
Customer Service, 14%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Patient Registration, 5%
Insurance Verification, 4%
Data Entry, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Access Associate
Patient Access Associate vs Registration Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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