What does a patient services assistant do?
A patient services assistant is responsible for handling initial patients' assessments by scheduling appointments. They also are responsible for processing patients' referrals to the appropriate medical professional and admission payments, validating health insurance details, recording patient's information on the database, and assessing medical history and related health information. A patient services assistant also responds to the patients' inquiries and concerns, provides health services recommendations, and processes medical procedures. A patient services assistant must have excellent communication and time-management skills and the ability to perform administrative and clerical tasks as needed.
Patient services assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real patient services assistant resumes:
- 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.
- Execute housekeeping tasks, including making patients' beds, changing bedpans, replacing linens, collecting laundry.
- Assist patients who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's with bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding.
- Scan medical records into EMR, collecting payment/Co-Pays, answering busy doctor's phone lines, and retrieving messages.
- Rotate departments including the emergency department, pediatrics, MICU, SICU, acute, EKG, and triage.
- Conduct emergency procedures such as first aid, CPR in accordance with the nature of emergencies while maintaining emergency protocols.
- Assist with medication reminders, stand by assist with ADL's, light housekeeping, plan social outings as needed.
- Volunteer work; assist elderly mentally handicap patients with daily activities.
- Gather and enter patient demographics and insurance information into EMR system.
- Maintain required records, documentation and insurance information according to HIPPA.
Patient services assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 38% of Patient Services Assistants are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Patient Services Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 38%
Validate and update patients demographic information.
- Customer Service, 9%
Maintain and promote professional ethic regarding confidentiality, good customer service and adhere to facility policies and procedures.
- Patient Care, 9%
Provide support to non-clinical services by providing sanitary, well-organized and adequately stocked patient care and non-patient care areas.
- Vital Signs, 6%
Prepare patients by obtaining vital signs and documenting/updating patient health information.
- CPR, 3%
Check vital signs, perform CPR and First Aid, and assist in medical examination
- Medical Terminology, 3%
Utilized specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures.
"patients," "customer service," and "patient care" are among the most common skills that patient services assistants use at work. You can find even more patient services assistant responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a patient services assistant to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what patient services assistants do because "nursing assistants and orderlies must communicate effectively to address patients’ or residents’ concerns." Additionally, a patient services assistant resume shows how patient services assistants use communication skills: "promote communication skills to manage patient care smoothly and effectively. "
Compassion. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling patient services assistant duties is compassion. The role rewards competence in this skill because "nursing assistants and orderlies assist and care for the sick, injured, and elderly." According to a patient services assistant resume, here's how patient services assistants can utilize compassion in their job responsibilities: "greeted each customer, in a friendly and compassionate manner, in order to ensure quality patient care. "
Patience. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of patient services assistants is patience. This skill is critical to many everyday patient services assistant duties, as "the routine tasks of cleaning, feeding, and bathing patients or residents can be stressful." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "interacted in an appropriate manner with understanding, patience and tact in dealing with patients, their families and other personnel. "
Physical stamina. patient services assistant responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "nursing assistants and orderlies spend much of their time on their feet." This resume example shows what patient services assistants do with physical stamina on a typical day: "enjoyed patient contact while assisting with physical therapies, intake of new patients and scheduling appointments. "
The three companies that hire the most patient services assistants are:
- WakeMed70 patient services assistants jobs
- Compass Group USA36 patient services assistants jobs
- Massachusetts General Hospital19 patient services assistants jobs
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Compare different patient services assistants
Patient services assistant vs. 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. A PRN must have excellent communication and organization skills, providing quality healthcare services to the patients and the organization.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a patient services assistant are more likely to require skills like "patient care," "medical terminology," "patient safety," and "scheduling appointments." On the other hand, a job as an prn requires skills like "healthcare," "occupational therapy," "rehabilitation," and "acute care." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Prns really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $49,871. Comparatively, patient services assistants tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $36,294.prns tend to reach higher levels of education than patient services assistants. In fact, prns are 7.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Patient services assistant vs. 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. It is also vital for a nurses' aide to coordinate with supervisors, reporting any changes in a patients' condition or behavior.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, patient services assistant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "medical terminology," "patient safety," "scheduling appointments," and "veterans." Meanwhile, a nurses' aide has duties that require skills in areas such as "electrocardiogram," "rehabilitation," "home health," and "english language." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Nurses' aides may earn a lower salary than patient services assistants, but nurses' aides earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $30,130. On the other hand, patient services assistants receive higher pay in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $36,294.In general, nurses' aides achieve similar levels of education than patient services assistants. They're 0.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Patient services assistant vs. Nurse technician
Nurse technicians, also known as nursing aides, assistants, or attendants, usually work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. Primarily, they help a registered nurse by providing essential mobility, care, and support to patients. Everyday routine duties include maintaining patients' hygiene and moving them using wheelchairs or stretchers around the facility for their meals, treatment, events, and other activities. They do tasks that help improve a patient's comfort level and become their caregivers in the long run. This job requires a high school diploma along with the completed certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, patient services assistants are more likely to have skills like "medical terminology," "scheduling appointments," "veterans," and "patient appointments." But a nurse technician is more likely to have skills like "rehabilitation," "home health," "direct patient care," and "direct supervision."
Nurse technicians make a very good living in the health care industry with an average annual salary of $32,642. On the other hand, patient services assistants are paid the highest salary in the government industry, with average annual pay of $36,294.Most nurse technicians achieve a similar degree level compared to patient services assistants. For example, they're 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Patient services assistant vs. Care associate
Patient care associates typically work at different healthcare settings where their primary job is to provide basic patient needs and comfort. They are also responsible for several patient care tasks, including bathing patients, changing the pillows and bedsheets of patients, and serving patients' meals. They should comply with safety protocols when performing these tasks. Some of them can give patients medication depending on the level of their training. To become a patient care specialist, one should possess several skills, such as good communication.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between patient services assistants and care associates, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a patient services assistant might have more use for skills like "veterans," "patient appointments," "insurance verification," and "front desk." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of care associates require skills like "pca," "phlebotomy," "direct patient care," and "infection control. "
Care associates enjoy the best pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $31,845. For comparison, patient services assistants earn the highest salary in the government industry.care associates reach similar levels of education compared to patient services assistants, in general. The difference is that they're 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of patient services assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
