Patient accounts clerk vs registration clerk

The differences between patient accounts clerks and registration clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a patient accounts clerk, becoming a registration clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a patient accounts clerk has an average salary of $31,951, which is higher than the $30,061 average annual salary of a registration clerk.

The top three skills for a patient accounts clerk include patients, medical terminology and patient demographics. The most important skills for a registration clerk are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.

Patient accounts clerk vs registration clerk overview

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Registration Clerk
Yearly salary	$31,951	$30,061
Hourly rate	$15.36	$14.45
Growth rate	-4%	-
Number of jobs	161,780	123,390
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Associate Degree, 28%
Average age	40	42
Years of experience	4	2

What does a patient accounts clerk do?

A Patient Accounts Clerk is primarily in charge of computing, billing, and collecting payments in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. They may assist patients or families by answering inquiries, explaining payment procedures, and processing requests. Aside from serving as the point of contact regarding payment concerns, a patient accounts clerk is also responsible for liaising with health care providers and insurance companies, gathering and reviewing data for submissions, preparing and processing the necessary documents, and maintaining accurate records.

What does a registration clerk do?

A registration clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks for patients' admission in a health care setting. Registration clerks assist patients with filling out hospital forms, verifying their medical histories, and confirming their insurance details. They also respond to the patients' inquiries and concerns, as well as directing them to the appropriate facility for their medical needs. A registration clerk must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on managing appointments and ensuring that the patients receive the highest quality of health care.

Patient accounts clerk vs registration clerk salary

Patient accounts clerks and registration clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Registration Clerk
Average salary	$31,951	$30,061
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $22,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Hancock Wellness
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between patient accounts clerk and registration clerk education

There are a few differences between a patient accounts clerk and a registration clerk in terms of educational background:

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Registration Clerk
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Associate Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Patient accounts clerk vs registration clerk demographics

Here are the differences between patient accounts clerks' and registration clerks' demographics:

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Registration Clerk
Average age	40	42
Gender ratio	Male, 13.9% Female, 86.1%	Male, 11.8% Female, 88.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 4.4% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	7%	9%

Differences between patient accounts clerk and registration clerk duties and responsibilities

Patient accounts clerk example responsibilities.

Develop and execute policies and procedures that effectively manage the information needs of the organization and always following HIPAA guidelines.
Research ICD-9 and CPT codes on reject claims.
Adhere to all company policies, processes and procedures in compliance with HIPPA.
Practice HIPAA compliant rules and regulations while updating the patient information and entering the charges.
Verify charges on claims and assign valid ICD-9 and CPT codes to ensure appropriate reimbursement.
Research, appeal and resolve claims, rejections and denials with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances.

Registration clerk example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files, reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Perform EKG for cardiac patients.
Verify eligibility for Medicaid patients register through insurance websites.
Conduct initial intake interview and register patients for hospital procedures and day surgery.
Register patients, including radiology inpatient and outpatient for medical services accordance of insurance guidelines.
Procure past EKG and additional information as per physicians request from ALTHA.

Patient accounts clerk vs registration clerk skills

Common patient accounts clerk skills

Patients, 24%
Medical Terminology, 14%
Patient Demographics, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Data Entry, 7%
PBX, 4%

Common registration clerk skills

Patients, 40%
Medical Terminology, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
Patient Registration, 3%
Computer System, 3%
Insurance Verification, 3%

Patient Accounts Clerk vs. similar jobs

Patient Accounts Clerk related careers

Patient Accounts Clerk related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Accounts Clerk
Patient Accounts Clerk vs Registration Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs