Patient service associate vs patient coordinator

The differences between patient service associates and patient coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a patient service associate and a patient coordinator. Additionally, a patient coordinator has an average salary of $32,954, which is higher than the $31,992 average annual salary of a patient service associate.

The top three skills for a patient service associate include patients, customer service and medical terminology. The most important skills for a patient coordinator are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Patient service associate vs patient coordinator overview

	Patient Service Associate	Patient Coordinator
Yearly salary	$31,992	$32,954
Hourly rate	$15.38	$15.84
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	96,748	97,878
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a patient service associate do?

A patient service associate is responsible for providing high-quality care services to the patients, ensuring their satisfaction by assisting their medical needs and concerns. Patient service associates perform administrative duties, such as helping patients to fill-out forms, updating patients' information on the database, processing payments for medical procedures, storing patients' medical files, and monitoring the adequacy of medical tools and supplies. They may also conduct basic medical operations under the supervision of a physician or a health professional, adhering to strict protocols and regulations at all times to avoid hazards and health risks.

What does a patient coordinator do?

A patient coordinator functions as the primary point of contact between health care professionals and patients in a medical facility. They mostly perform administrative tasks such as greeting visitors, answering calls, responding to inquiries, managing schedules, arranging appointments, processing payments, gathering information, and keeping records. Moreover, they assist in filling out forms, escorting patients to different rooms or offices, and setting treatment plans. Most importantly, they discuss and share necessary information with patients and families regarding medications, procedures, and proceeding care according to a physician's assessment.

Patient service associate vs patient coordinator salary

Patient service associates and patient coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Service Associate	Patient Coordinator
Average salary	$31,992	$32,954
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $39,000	Between $25,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Brockton, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Virginia Eye Institute	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between patient service associate and patient coordinator education

There are a few differences between a patient service associate and a patient coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Patient Service Associate	Patient Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Patient service associate vs patient coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between patient service associates' and patient coordinators' demographics:

	Patient Service Associate	Patient Coordinator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 18.2% Female, 81.8%	Male, 11.2% Female, 88.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 25.4% Asian, 6.2% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between patient service associate and patient coordinator duties and responsibilities

Patient service associate example responsibilities.

Verify patient's insurance eligibility and other pertinent information according to HIPAA regulations and hospital policies.
Screen uninsure patients for medicaid and other programs, complete medicaid applications for qualify applicants.
Interview patients and conduct an analysis of potential eligibility for Medicaid and hospital charity programs.
Obtain accurate and detail diagnostic, demographic and financial information for patients requesting emergency hospital services.
Limit experience in attending patients needs, while perform in accordance with existing regulatory and hospital standards.
Obtain all necessary documentation prior to surgery such as proof of identification, copy of insurance and require insurance referrals.

Patient coordinator example responsibilities.

Comply with HIPAA regulations by discreetly and professionally handling all patients private medical information.
Gather personal plus insurance information and perform thorough insurance breakdowns for patients.
Communicate directly with patients to obtain initial patient information and respond to inquiries.
Process and update HIPAA relate paperwork and other require institutional forms as necessary.
Obtain all necessary documentation prior to surgery such as proof of identification, copy of insurance and require insurance referrals.
Respond in writing to all grievances in accordance with CMS and DNV guidelines.

Patient service associate vs patient coordinator skills

Common patient service associate skills

Patients, 22%
Customer Service, 12%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Patient Service, 6%
HIPAA, 4%

Common patient coordinator skills

Patients, 30%
Customer Service, 11%
Patient Care, 6%
Patient Flow, 5%
Excellent Organizational, 4%
Check-In, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Service Associate
Patient Service Associate vs Patient Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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