Patient relations director vs wellness director

The differences between patient relations directors and wellness directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a patient relations director and a wellness director. Additionally, a patient relations director has an average salary of $94,921, which is higher than the $73,888 average annual salary of a wellness director.

The top three skills for a patient relations director include patients, patient care and patient safety. The most important skills for a wellness director are quality care, home health, and direct supervision.

Patient relations director vs wellness director overview

	Patient Relations Director	Wellness Director
Yearly salary	$94,921	$73,888
Hourly rate	$45.64	$35.52
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	91,308	31,522
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a patient relations director do?

A patient relations director is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing the efforts in maintaining an active communication line between patients and health care providers. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to improve client interactions, liaising with patients and their families, answering inquiries, and providing information assistance as needed. They must also address the concerns and issues raised by patients or families, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a patient relations director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals, all while implementing the hospital's policies and regulations.

What does a wellness director do?

Typically working at gyms and health centers, a wellness coordinator utilizes their health and fitness expertise by designing and developing health programs involving workout and diet plans. Among their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify the clients' needs, gathering and analyzing information to determine the strengths and weaknesses of current programs, and implementing solutions against problem areas. They must also liaise with internal and external parties, coordinate staff, and develop strategies to optimize program operations, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction.

Patient relations director vs wellness director salary

Patient relations directors and wellness directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Relations Director	Wellness Director
Average salary	$94,921	$73,888
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $145,000	Between $42,000 And $127,000
Highest paying City	North Las Vegas, NV	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	Nevada	Connecticut
Best paying company	AstraZeneca	Emma Willard School
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between patient relations director and wellness director education

There are a few differences between a patient relations director and a wellness director in terms of educational background:

	Patient Relations Director	Wellness Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Patient relations director vs wellness director demographics

Here are the differences between patient relations directors' and wellness directors' demographics:

	Patient Relations Director	Wellness Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%	Male, 23.0% Female, 77.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 7.1% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between patient relations director and wellness director duties and responsibilities

Patient relations director example responsibilities.

Manage oversight to joint commission and other regulatory requirements.
Lead interdisciplinary teams working on quality improvement initiatives and prepare for a JCAHO survey.
Coach staff on hospital systems such as CMS, IEX, CTI and TCS.
Maintain monthly reports, payroll, and budget.
Create bi-weekly schedule for staff, approve PTO's & vacation requests.
Cover shifts for outlying facilities when either PTO is taken or employees call out.

Wellness director example responsibilities.

Manage resident and facility accounts, budgets, social security applications, and Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Provide staff training and oversight on medication administration and direct patient care.
Provide oversight to ensure appropriate infection control procedures are follow by staff.
Assist in keeping key staff in compliance with CPR certification.
Implement disease management programs for hypertension, diabetes and back injuries.
Process payroll, hire, dismiss, and education to staff.

Patient relations director vs wellness director skills

Common patient relations director skills

Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 9%
Patient Safety, 7%
Revenue Cycle, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
Acute Care, 4%

Common wellness director skills

Quality Care, 15%
Home Health, 14%
Direct Supervision, 14%
CPR, 7%
State Regulations, 6%
Oversight, 6%

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Patient Relations Director
Patient Relations Director vs Wellness Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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