Patient service associate vs receptionist/customer service

The differences between patient service associates and receptionist/customer services 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 service associate, becoming a receptionist/customer service takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a patient service associate has an average salary of $31,992, which is higher than the $30,604 average annual salary of a receptionist/customer service.

The top three skills for a patient service associate include patients, customer service and medical terminology. The most important skills for a receptionist/customer service are customer service, phone calls, and data entry.

Patient service associate vs receptionist/customer service overview

	Patient Service Associate	Receptionist/Customer Service
Yearly salary	$31,992	$30,604
Hourly rate	$15.38	$14.71
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	96,748	216,587
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	12

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 receptionist/customer service do?

Receptionists or customer service professionals are considered as the first contact point of the clients. They usually greet and welcome guests visiting an office or organization. These are employees who serve as administrative or office support. They take responsibility for digital communication. It is their job to coordinate the front desk activities such as redirecting phone calls and distributing correspondence. They should be equipped with skills like attention to detail, dependability, and communication skills.

Patient service associate vs receptionist/customer service salary

Patient service associates and receptionist/customer services have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Service Associate	Receptionist/Customer Service
Average salary	$31,992	$30,604
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $39,000	Between $25,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Billerica, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Minnesota
Best paying company	Virginia Eye Institute	Uline
Best paying industry	Health Care	Manufacturing

Differences between patient service associate and receptionist/customer service education

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

	Patient Service Associate	Receptionist/Customer Service
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Patient service associate vs receptionist/customer service demographics

Here are the differences between patient service associates' and receptionist/customer services' demographics:

	Patient Service Associate	Receptionist/Customer Service
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 18.2% Female, 81.8%	Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0%
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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.4% Asian, 6.1% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between patient service associate and receptionist/customer service 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.

Receptionist/customer service example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Bill and collect from private pay, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies.
Doctor authorization for treatments, understanding of Medicare and Medicaid, prior authorizations (if need).
Resolve problems with the buyers concerning invoices that do not match in the AS400 system.
Receive and apply checks into AS400 accounting database and scan checks into bank, on a daily basis.

Patient service associate vs receptionist/customer service skills

Common patient service associate skills

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

Common receptionist/customer service skills

Customer Service, 16%
Phone Calls, 15%
Data Entry, 14%
Telephone Calls, 8%
Front Desk, 8%
Scheduling Appointments, 8%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Service Associate
Patient Service Associate vs Receptionist/Customer Service

Updated January 8, 2025

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