Registration representative vs patient care specialist

The differences between registration representatives and patient care specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a registration representative and a patient care specialist. Additionally, a patient care specialist has an average salary of $34,157, which is higher than the $34,021 average annual salary of a registration representative.

The top three skills for a registration representative include patients, medical terminology and patient care. The most important skills for a patient care specialist are patients, patient care, and data entry.

Registration representative vs patient care specialist overview

	Registration Representative	Patient Care Specialist
Yearly salary	$34,021	$34,157
Hourly rate	$16.36	$16.42
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	118,803	146,861
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a registration representative do?

In medical facilities, a registration representative serves as the patients' first point of contact in clinics and hospitals. They primarily greet patients, identify their needs, gather personal and medical information, and assist them in filling out forms. They must also handle admission and discharge procedures, process payments, arrange payment plans, and collect insurance information. Furthermore, as a registered representative, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a patient care specialist do?

A patient service or care specialist works at different medical facilities. Primary responsibilities include checking patients in and out, scheduling follow-up appointments as well as checking patient eligibility for services or programs. Patient service specialists should maintain a systematic referral log to correlate patient referrals to other specialists. Applicants for the job should have the basic computer knowledge to effectively manage data of patient's files, knowledge of medical terminologies, and possess good interpersonal and customer service skills.

Registration representative vs patient care specialist salary

Registration representatives and patient care specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Registration Representative	Patient Care Specialist
Average salary	$34,021	$34,157
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $20,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	UMass Memorial Health	KPG
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between registration representative and patient care specialist education

There are a few differences between a registration representative and a patient care specialist in terms of educational background:

	Registration Representative	Patient Care Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Registration representative vs patient care specialist demographics

Here are the differences between registration representatives' and patient care specialists' demographics:

	Registration Representative	Patient Care Specialist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 13.9% Female, 86.1%	Male, 20.3% Female, 79.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between registration representative and patient care specialist duties and responsibilities

Registration representative example responsibilities.

Work with third party payer requirements including Medicare, Medicaid (AHCCCS), manage care plans, and commercial plans.
Manage and update demographic and insurance information, including authorizations and referrals, while demonstrating HIPPA confidentiality regulations.
Verify eligibility and insurance benefits for patients, including Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and workers' compensation.
Maintain patient privacy in accordance with HIPAA with a high level of professionalism, compassion, productivity, and accuracy.
Maintain proficient level of knowledge regarding Medicare requirements, HIPAA compliance and reimbursement criteria.
Complete registration process for inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients accurately and efficiently in accordance with policies and procedures.

Patient care specialist example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Utilize software applications to document call interactions using medical terminology and responsible for initially engaging patients by explaining the services.
Verify CPT codes along with diagnosis code for guarantee payment for surgeries.
Process daily fee tickets and correctly enter office visit ICD 9 and CPT codes into the system for billing.
Adhere to HIPPA confidentiality guidelines.
Track Medicaid eligibility of clients.

Registration representative vs patient care specialist skills

Common registration representative skills

Patients, 25%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Patient Care, 6%
Customer Service, 6%
Health Insurance, 5%
Patient Registration, 4%

Common patient care specialist skills

Patients, 33%
Patient Care, 17%
Data Entry, 5%
Medical Terminology, 4%
CPT, 2%
CPR, 2%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Registration Representative
Registration Representative vs Patient Care Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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