Patient care specialist vs patient care technician

The differences between patient care specialists and patient care technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patient care specialist has an average salary of $34,157, which is higher than the $32,806 average annual salary of a patient care technician.

The top three skills for a patient care specialist include patients, patient care and data entry. The most important skills for a patient care technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Patient care specialist vs patient care technician overview

	Patient Care Specialist	Patient Care Technician
Yearly salary	$34,157	$32,806
Hourly rate	$16.42	$15.77
Growth rate	-4%	9%
Number of jobs	146,861	167,520
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Average age	40	34
Years of experience	4	-

What does a patient care specialist do?

A patient service or care specialist works at different medical facilities. Primary responsibilities include checking patients in and out, scheduling follow-up appointments as well as checking patient eligibility for services or programs. Patient service specialists should maintain a systematic referral log to correlate patient referrals to other specialists. Applicants for the job should have the basic computer knowledge to effectively manage data of patient's files, knowledge of medical terminologies, and possess good interpersonal and customer service skills.

What does a patient care technician do?

Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.

Patient care specialist vs patient care technician salary

Patient care specialists and patient care technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Care Specialist	Patient Care Technician
Average salary	$34,157	$32,806
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $55,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Rochester, NH
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Vermont
Best paying company	KPG	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between patient care specialist and patient care technician education

There are a few differences between a patient care specialist and a patient care technician in terms of educational background:

	Patient Care Specialist	Patient Care Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Emory University

Patient care specialist vs patient care technician demographics

Here are the differences between patient care specialists' and patient care technicians' demographics:

	Patient Care Specialist	Patient Care Technician
Average age	40	34
Gender ratio	Male, 20.3% Female, 79.7%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	7%	15%

Differences between patient care specialist and patient care technician duties and responsibilities

Patient care specialist example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Utilize software applications to document call interactions using medical terminology and responsible for initially engaging patients by explaining the services.
Verify CPT codes along with diagnosis code for guarantee payment for surgeries.
Process daily fee tickets and correctly enter office visit ICD 9 and CPT codes into the system for billing.
Adhere to HIPPA confidentiality guidelines.
Track Medicaid eligibility of clients.

Patient care technician example responsibilities.

Manage care and prepare medical records, transcription and supply orders.
Manage daily care of high acuity patients with neurological trauma/disorders and post-surgery.
Qualify to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.
Transport patients using wheelchairs and stretchers and assist patients to ambulate safely.
Assist with transferring patients in and out of wheelchairs, recliners, and stretchers.
Apply protective restraints safely and appropriately, assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients as needed.

Patient care specialist vs patient care technician skills

Common patient care specialist skills

Patients, 33%
Patient Care, 17%
Data Entry, 5%
Medical Terminology, 4%
CPT, 2%
CPR, 2%

Common patient care technician skills

Patients, 24%
Vital Signs, 9%
Phlebotomy, 7%
CPR, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Care Specialist
Patient Care Specialist vs Patient Care Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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