What does a patient registrar do?
A patient registrar is responsible for receiving patients in a hospital or other health care institutions, verifying their information, and leading them to the appropriate facility for their health care needs. Patient registrars manage the hospital's database, updating patients' information, confirming insurance details, taking calls, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, scheduling appointments, and performing related administrative and clerical tasks as needed. A patient registrar must have excellent communication and organizational skills to provide the best quality care services to the patients.
Patient registrar responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real patient registrar resumes:
- Process release of information requests according to HIPAA regulations and manage valuables safe for entire facility.
- Specialize in high degree of compassion when communicating with patients providing information and insurance details.
- Receive patients, record patient demographic information and verify insurance for emergency department, laboratory, and radiology
- Register patients and ensure correctness of all demographic information in AS400, verify insurance on various websites and collect patient co-payments.
- Update demographics, billing information, Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance during patient interviews to obtain pertinent registration information.
- Enter confidential personal health information and financial information into IDX system with a high rate of accuracy and confidentiality.
Patient registrar skills and personality traits
We calculated that 25% of Patient Registrars are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Medical Terminology. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Patient Registrars that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 25%
Registered patients and ensured correctness of all demographic information in AS400, verified insurance on various websites and collected patient co-payments.
- Customer Service, 11%
Received above average ratings on customer surveys for service effectiveness, with no negative input regarding customer service standards during tenure.
- Medical Terminology, 11%
Exercise advanced medical terminology on a daily basis.
- Patient Registration, 4%
Collected accurate demographic and financial information performed patient registration, insurance eligibility benefit verification and financial clearance for hospital patients.
- Patient Care, 4%
Coordinated with nursing and professional staff to achieve efficient patient care delivery system as it interfaced with admitting function.
- Insurance Verification, 3%
Support departments with various clerical duties, maintaining the receptionist area, Insurance verification and verification of patient demographics.
Common skills that a patient registrar uses to do their job include "patients," "customer service," and "medical terminology." You can find details on the most important patient registrar responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. The most essential soft skill for a patient registrar to carry out their responsibilities is customer-service skills. This skill is important for the role because "representatives help companies retain customers by professionally answering questions and helping to resolve complaints." Additionally, a patient registrar resume shows how their duties depend on customer-service skills: "complete all paperwork needed to admit & treat an individual in emergency room; customer relations, patient interviews"
Listening skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling patient registrar duties is listening skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "representatives must listen carefully to ensure that they understand customers in order to assist them." According to a patient registrar resume, here's how patient registrars can utilize listening skills in their job responsibilities: "communicated with third party payors to obtain insurance benefits authorizations. "
Patience. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of patient registrars is patience. This skill is critical to many everyday patient registrar duties, as "representatives should be patient and polite, especially when interacting with dissatisfied customers." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "registered er patience, lab, x rays and surgery patients. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a patient registrar to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what patient registrars relies on this skill, since "representatives must determine solutions to customers’ problems." How this skill relates to patient registrar duties can be seen in an example from a patient registrar resume snippet: "ensured excellent customer service and satisfaction, resolved patient concerns, and explained admission paperwork to patients. "
Communication skills. Another skill commonly found on patient registrar job descriptions is "communication skills." It can come up quite often in patient registrar duties, since "customer service representatives must be able to provide clear information in writing, by phone, or in person." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day patient registrar responsibilities: "manage secretarial duties such as customer service and telecommunications. "
The three companies that hire the most patient registrars are:
- Prime Healthcare107 patient registrars jobs
- Mission Regional Medical Center48 patient registrars jobs
- Presbyterian28 patient registrars jobs
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Compare different patient registrars
Patient registrar vs. Scheduling specialist
A scheduling specialist is responsible for managing the department's meeting, conference, and event schedules, as well as negotiating with suppliers and third-party vendors for appointment and program needs. Scheduling specialists may also perform administrative and clerical duties as needed, especially on communicating with clients and informing them of meetings, and responding to their concerns and inquiries. A scheduling specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as knowledge of the data processing procedures to maintain the organization's database, updating clients' information, and tracking business transactions.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a patient registrar are more likely to require skills like "patient registration," "pbx," "patient insurance," and "insurance cards." On the other hand, a job as a scheduling specialist requires skills like "excellent interpersonal," "patient demographics," "appointment scheduling," and "scheduling procedures." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Scheduling specialists really shine in the transportation industry with an average salary of $51,929. Comparatively, patient registrars tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $33,106.The education levels that scheduling specialists earn slightly differ from patient registrars. In particular, scheduling specialists are 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a patient registrar. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Patient registrar vs. Medical scheduler
A medical scheduler typically works with patients to coordinate appointment dates and times with health care professionals. Medical schedulers often work in hospitals, outpatient care centers, and other medical practices. They perform other duties aside from managing patients' schedules that includes providing patients the information they need about the hospital and its policies, providing patient support, and handling and managing questions from patients. Medical schedulers also act as a link between patients, clinical staff, and referral sources.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, patient registrar responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "patient registration," "pbx," "health insurance," and "insurance coverage." Meanwhile, a medical scheduler has duties that require skills in areas such as "triage," "scheduling patient appointments," "patient demographics," and "outbound calls." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Medical schedulers earn a lower average salary than patient registrars. But medical schedulers earn the highest pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $32,016. Additionally, patient registrars earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $33,106 annually.medical schedulers earn similar levels of education than patient registrars in general. They're 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Patient registrar vs. Medical receptionist
Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital. They help patients to their respective appointments. They also assist doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners by ensuring that the schedule for the day is being followed. They are also in charge of assisting visitors by directing them wherever they would need to go. Medical receptionists also answer inquiries by patients or visitors. Medical knowledge, great customer service skills, and a friendly attitude are needed.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from patient registrar resumes include skills like "pbx," "health insurance," "surgery," and "home health," whereas a medical receptionist is more likely to list skills in "check-in," "patient referrals," "patient demographics," and "test results. "
Medical receptionists earn the highest salary when working in the health care industry, where they receive an average salary of $32,483. Comparatively, patient registrars have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $33,106.medical receptionists typically earn similar educational levels compared to patient registrars. Specifically, they're 1.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Patient registrar vs. Registration specialist
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.
Types of patient registrar
Updated January 8, 2025
