Practice manager vs patient care manager

The differences between practice managers and patient care managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a practice manager and a patient care manager. Additionally, a practice manager has an average salary of $107,374, which is higher than the $65,369 average annual salary of a patient care manager.

The top three skills for a practice manager include patients, patient care and customer service. The most important skills for a patient care manager are home health, patients, and quality care.

Practice manager vs patient care manager overview

	Practice Manager	Patient Care Manager
Yearly salary	$107,374	$65,369
Hourly rate	$51.62	$31.43
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	38,196	123,652
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a practice manager do?

A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.

What does a patient care manager do?

Patient care managers are executives who are in charge of supervising a clinical team. The managers take responsibility for directing patient care within an organization. Also called health care managers, they protect every patient's safety and health in a clinical setting. They interact with the healthcare team members to maintain open communication. It is also part of their duties to supervise the daily operations in the clinical care units. Managing clinical budgets and maintaining quality health services are also their responsibilities.

Practice manager vs patient care manager salary

Practice managers and patient care managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Practice Manager	Patient Care Manager
Average salary	$107,374	$65,369
Salary range	Between $65,000 And $175,000	Between $36,000 And $117,000
Highest paying City	Providence, RI	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	California
Best paying company	Davis Wright Tremaine	Accenture
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between practice manager and patient care manager education

There are a few differences between a practice manager and a patient care manager in terms of educational background:

	Practice Manager	Patient Care Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Practice manager vs patient care manager demographics

Here are the differences between practice managers' and patient care managers' demographics:

	Practice Manager	Patient Care Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7%	Male, 17.1% Female, 82.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 7.4% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between practice manager and patient care manager duties and responsibilities

Practice manager example responsibilities.

Secure new engagements worldwide, and lead numerous ERP and CRM initiatives.
Manage a great team of 7 consultants that deliver outstanding ERP solutions.
Supervise and manage a staff of 12.5 FTE personnel and 4 FTE physicians.
Accomplish at applying knowledge of veterinary science and compassion for animals to ensure optimal care.
Manage all aspects of establishing, setting and implementing standards and work processes to ensure well running PMO.
Manage the selection process and implementation of the practice's EMR by reviewing and updating the system as needed.

Patient care manager example responsibilities.

Manage complicated cases involving serious injuries, medical evacuations, cruise ship disembarkation, and repatriation of remains with compassion.
Direct oversight of all case management and education relate to chronic disease and primary care management.
Utilize resources such as financial and pharmacy assistance for uninsure patients to receive professional medical care upon discharge.
Prevent unnecessary hospital admissions using keen assessment skills and redirecting to PCP's office when appropriate.
Ensure compliance both with HIPAA and CMS, to include all audits and enrollments via Medicare.
Plant and maintain flower beds such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, and pruning.

Practice manager vs patient care manager skills

Common practice manager skills

Patients, 17%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
PET, 5%
Practice Management, 4%
Payroll, 3%

Common patient care manager skills

Home Health, 15%
Patients, 12%
Quality Care, 8%
Social Work, 7%
Community Resources, 4%
Substance Abuse, 4%

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Executive Management Industry
Practice Manager
Practice Manager vs Patient Care Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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