Patient account coordinator vs front desk coordinator

The differences between patient account coordinators and front desk coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a patient account coordinator, becoming a front desk coordinator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a patient account coordinator has an average salary of $35,695, which is higher than the $31,667 average annual salary of a front desk coordinator.

The top three skills for a patient account coordinator include patients, patient accounts and credit balances. The most important skills for a front desk coordinator are patients, customer service, and check-in.

Patient account coordinator vs front desk coordinator overview

	Patient Account Coordinator	Front Desk Coordinator
Yearly salary	$35,695	$31,667
Hourly rate	$17.16	$15.22
Growth rate	-8%	-
Number of jobs	148,258	119,803
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 29%
Average age	46	42
Years of experience	12	2

What does a patient account coordinator do?

A patient account coordinator ensures that the medical records of a patient are consolidated and updated with necessary and accurate information for ease of access by medical staff and other departments within a medical facility. You will capture and record patient information for easy access, handle patient billing and related inquiries, and help patients fill out the required paperwork. Patient account coordinators schedule and follow up patient appointments, set up and manage patient accounts and information therein, and coordinate and follow up on insurance benefits.

What does a front desk coordinator do?

A Front-Desk Coordinator is the point of contact in a commercial establishment or building such as offices, clinics, salons, and even government agencies. The primary responsibility of a Front-Desk Coordinator is to greet and assist clients of their needs, such as filling-up registrations, appointing schedules, directing clients, and bridging information in a building. Because of these responsibilities, it is crucial to have a pleasing personality and excellent communication skills. Moreover, a Front-Desk Coordinator can also have the task of correspondence in which they are to communicate with clients through calls and emails.

Patient account coordinator vs front desk coordinator salary

Patient account coordinators and front desk coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Account Coordinator	Front Desk Coordinator
Average salary	$35,695	$31,667
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $41,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between patient account coordinator and front desk coordinator education

There are a few differences between a patient account coordinator and a front desk coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Patient Account Coordinator	Front Desk Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 29%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Patient account coordinator vs front desk coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between patient account coordinators' and front desk coordinators' demographics:

	Patient Account Coordinator	Front Desk Coordinator
Average age	46	42
Gender ratio	Male, 12.0% Female, 88.0%	Male, 9.4% Female, 90.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 4.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 25.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between patient account coordinator and front desk coordinator duties and responsibilities

Patient account coordinator example responsibilities.

Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Perform appropriate follow-up for missing data elements such as CPT, HCPCS, ICD-9 codes and modifiers.
Be able to work with the current CPT, ICD-9 books, CPC certification are required for this position
Provide quality customer service, maintain confidentiality, problem solving, and accuracy while complying with all HIPAA regulations.
Provide adequate documentation to insurance carriers for appeals and reconsideration of soft and technical denials.
See that records are store securely and handle in compliance with HIPAA privacy and security regulations

Front desk coordinator example responsibilities.

File invoices, process payments, collect payments, manage all customer files, using QuickBooks.
Manage check-in and registration process for all appointments including physician appointments and medical imaging.
Manage patient data per HIPAA regulations for scheduling, registration, and verification of insurance eligibility.
Enter patient demographics into computer utilize EMR system.
Verify insurance coverage for require procedures and assist patients with alternative options for payments.
Perform clerical/receptionist duties including greeting patients, check-in, and obtaining accurate insurance/demographic information for a gynecological office.

Patient account coordinator vs front desk coordinator skills

Common patient account coordinator skills

Patients, 20%
Patient Accounts, 10%
Credit Balances, 9%
Appeals, 7%
Medical Billing, 4%
Data Entry, 3%

Common front desk coordinator skills

Patients, 23%
Customer Service, 10%
Check-In, 9%
Front Desk, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Insurance Verification, 6%

Patient Account Coordinator vs. similar jobs

Patient Account Coordinator related careers

Patient Account Coordinator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Account Coordinator
Patient Account Coordinator vs Front Desk Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs