How to hire a patient services assistant

How to hire a patient services assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step patient services assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a patient services assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new patient services assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a patient services assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the patient services assistant you need to hire. Certain patient services assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a patient services assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a patient services assistant that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of patient services assistants.

   Type of Patient Services Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Patient Services Assistant	Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas... Show more	$11-22
   PRN	A PRN or a "pro re nata" employee is responsible for covering a shift or a specific situation, especially during short-staffing or the need to complete a particular task. The PRNs often work for a medical industry without a regular or full-time commitment, having the freedom to manage their time and take multiple assignments from different organizations... Show more	$8-42
   Nurses' Aide	A nurses' aide is responsible for providing healthcare and welfare assistance to patients in long-term care facilities while under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed colleague with extensive expertise. A nurses' aide is mostly involved in basic hygienic tasks, such as helping a patient in bathing and dressing, using the toilet, preparing meals, feeding, and performing basic chores... Show more	$11-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Customer Service
   • Patient Care
   • Vital Signs
   • CPR
   • Medical Terminology
   • Patient Safety
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Compassion
   • Blood Pressure
   • ADL
   • Veterans
   • Patient Appointments
   • EMR

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
   • Assist patients with daily care needs such as ADL's, mobility assistance, nutritional support, and emotional support.
   • Assist the MD during clinic by taking vitals on patients, running EKG's, handling medication reviews/refills.
   • Perform food, bed and bath needs as well as colostomy and catheter care.
   • Experience with patents ranging from ambulatory to immobile, specializing in Alzheimer and dementia patients.
   • Assist PT/OT to provide therapy and cue's on how to ambulate during and after surgery.

   More patient services assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the patient services assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A patient services assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a patient services assistant in Missouri may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level patient services assistant. Additionally, a patient services assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average patient services assistant salary

   $16.29hourly

   $33,879 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level patient services assistant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 16, 2026

   Average patient services assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$44,674	$21
   2	Oregon	$39,115	$19
   3	Washington	$38,243	$18
   4	Massachusetts	$37,552	$18
   5	New York	$36,356	$17
   6	Kansas	$35,540	$17
   7	Rhode Island	$34,957	$17
   8	Michigan	$33,683	$16
   9	Wisconsin	$33,444	$16
   10	Maryland	$33,375	$16
   11	Illinois	$33,185	$16
   12	District of Columbia	$32,283	$16
   13	Arizona	$32,132	$15
   14	South Carolina	$30,809	$15
   15	Texas	$30,787	$15
   16	Virginia	$29,298	$14
   17	Florida	$29,232	$14
   18	Iowa	$28,863	$14
   19	North Carolina	$28,285	$14
   20	Missouri	$27,220	$13

   Average patient services assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Adobe	$69,242	$33.29	1
   2	Massachusetts General Hospital	$48,605	$23.37
   3	University of California-Berkeley	$45,636	$21.94	1
   4	UMass Memorial Health	$42,661	$20.51	79
   5	Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital	$41,586	$19.99
   6	Oregon Health & Science University	$38,883	$18.69	16
   7	Prime Healthcare	$38,807	$18.66	147
   8	Legacy Health	$38,667	$18.59	32
   9	WakeMed	$38,443	$18.48
   10	Sharp HealthCare	$37,938	$18.24	6
   11	Mount Sinai Health System	$37,459	$18.01	124
   12	Women's Health CT	$37,225	$17.90	22
   13	Tenet Healthcare	$36,620	$17.61	512
   14	McKesson	$36,101	$17.36	3
   15	MEDNAX	$35,974	$17.30
   16	Medstar Health	$35,885	$17.25	7
   17	Beltone	$35,853	$17.24	23
   18	Grace Health	$35,732	$17.18	13
   19	Pacific Medical Centers	$35,428	$17.03	12
   20	North Country Family Health Center	$35,400	$17.02	2

4. Writing a patient services assistant job description

   A patient services assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a patient services assistant job description:

   Patient services assistant job description example

   This position is focused on patient and guest check in while providing an excellent customer service experience at the point of entry. The Patient Relations Assistant (Assistant) will greet all guests entering the facility with a welcoming and positive demeanor. They will ensure, if the guest is a patient, they are listed on a schedule and then personally escort the patient to their proper hospital destination. The Assistant will welcome visitors and validate patient name and room number to ensure proper visitor management as well as communication of visitor guidelines. The Assistant will respond to any immediate needs identified, within their capability or obtain the appropriate assistance for those needs outside of their scope of service. The Assistant will be required to be aware of the location of all departments and general operations of the hospital so that knowledgeable answers will be given to guests in a timely manner. The Assistant must exhibit a professional demeanor including making appropriate eye contact, smiling and rising to greet guests as they enter the building. The Assistant should be able to demonstrate active listening and adaptability to the needs of the guest. The Assistant will be required to wear a uniform and maintain good grooming at all times.
   SHIFT AND SCHEDULE
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
   • Timely reporting for your shift to ensure proper coverage for patients/guest screening
   • Provides point of entry customer service by greeting every guest/patients that enter hospital and presents to front desk
   • Extends assistance via wheelchair to any mobility impaired patient/guest.
   • Understand schedules and appropriate destination for patient
   • Understands and maintains confidentiality and privacy with schedules
   • Complete proper check in for all patients and banding of allowed patients/guest
   • Communicates effectively and respectfully with every colleague and guest
   EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
   • Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions .
   The individual must be able to • Stand, walk, sit, stoop, reach, lift, see, speak and hear. Lifting is limited to 35 lbs. for clinical staff and to 50 lbs. for non-clinical staff.
   • The individual must use an assisted lift device or get another individual(s) to assist with the lift that is over these maximum limits.
   • Ability to push guests in wheelchairs up to 250lbs. Wheelchairs are designed to hold up to 500 lbs.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right patient services assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your patient services assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit patient services assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit patient services assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new patient services assistant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the patient services assistant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new patient services assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a patient services assistant?