Primary care provider vs direct care counselor

The differences between primary care providers and direct care counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a primary care provider has an average salary of $35,422, which is higher than the $33,422 average annual salary of a direct care counselor.

The top three skills for a primary care provider include patients, internal medicine and family practice. The most important skills for a direct care counselor are crisis intervention, autism, and CPR.

Primary care provider vs direct care counselor overview

	Primary Care Provider	Direct Care Counselor
Yearly salary	$35,422	$33,422
Hourly rate	$17.03	$16.07
Growth rate	36%	36%
Number of jobs	103,863	123,519
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a primary care provider do?

Primary Care Providers, also known as general practitioners instead of specialists, are doctors trained to be the first point of contact for a patient entering the health care system. They diagnose, treat, and prevent a broad range of injuries and illnesses from allergies and colds to longer-term conditions such as Diabetes Mellitus. Their duties include performing lab tests to identify a condition, prescribing medications, checking for drug interactions, provide wound care, executing spirometry tests and electrocardiograms, and coordinating specialist care for your condition. A Primary Care Provider will also help create self-care plans prescribing a certain diet and recommending exercise routines.

What does a direct care counselor do?

A direct care counselor provides direct counseling and assistance to the elderly or individuals with disabilities and mental issues. They usually work at rehabilitation centers or care facilities and work together with nurses or caregivers to administer different treatment plans, monitor and support the patients' progress, and help the patients carry out daily activities such as performing hygienic or routine living tasks. Moreover, a direct care counselor may also develop and implement various healthcare programs and recreational activities while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.

Primary care provider vs direct care counselor salary

Primary care providers and direct care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Primary Care Provider	Direct Care Counselor
Average salary	$35,422	$33,422
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $58,000	Between $22,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	-
Highest paying state	Connecticut	-
Best paying company	AstraZeneca	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between primary care provider and direct care counselor education

There are a few differences between a primary care provider and a direct care counselor in terms of educational background:

	Primary Care Provider	Direct Care Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Nursing	Psychology
Most common college	-	-

Primary care provider vs direct care counselor demographics

Here are the differences between primary care providers' and direct care counselors' demographics:

	Primary Care Provider	Direct Care Counselor
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2%	Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 9.7% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between primary care provider and direct care counselor duties and responsibilities

Primary care provider example responsibilities.

Manage provider network to include verifying claims and benefits for healthcare providers/members and insurance companies.
Work alongside ABA therapists to continue to apply appropriate behavioral techniques.
Examine patients and carefully analyze test results and information gather during examinations to properly diagnose illnesses and diseases.
Used strong oral and written communications skills to develop and maintain effective relationships with patients, co-workers and international medical professionals.
Provide caring companionship to developmentally disabled/elderly residents.
Assist with toileting, including bedpans, urinals and commode chairs.

Direct care counselor example responsibilities.

Obtain SCIP-R, CPR, and AMAP certifications.
Provide training to residents in improving ADL and independent living skills per the IHP and any/all relate behavior or medical requirements.
Obtain AMAP certification and administer medications under the supervision of assign nursing staff.
Provide direct care assistance for campers with autism, intellectual disabilities, and/or developmental delays.
Perform one-on-one supervision of children with disabilities including autism, complex mental health problems, and complex behavioral problems.
Help develop and carry-out treatment goals for individual clients as outlined in treatment plans and/or ISP goals and objectives.

Primary care provider vs direct care counselor skills

Common primary care provider skills

Patients, 31%
Internal Medicine, 13%
Family Practice, 12%
Patient Care, 11%
Urgent Care, 10%
NP, 4%

Common direct care counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 12%
Autism, 11%
CPR, 10%
Developmental Disabilities, 10%
Incident Reports, 9%
Data Collection, 8%

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Primary Care Provider
Primary Care Provider vs Direct Care Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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