What does a registration specialist do?
A registration specialist is responsible for managing patient information, including the verification of their insurance details and medical treatment schedules. Registration specialists assign admission rooms and processing payments for discharge. They also assist patients with the completion of medical forms by helping them fill-out papers with the most accurate information. A registration specialist performs administrative and clerical duties as needed, requiring them to have excellent data management skills to process information and provide the highest quality care services for the patients.
Registration specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real registration specialist resumes:
- Attain and authenticate patient insurance information, counsel patients on changes in insurance policies, verify patient demographics.
- Help patients through the registration and admitting processes and also contribute to the PBX department.
- Input data entries for insurance billing; adding CPT codes and diagnosis from face sheets as patients arrive.
- Act as hospital PBX operator.
- Complete all charge entry, enter all CPT and ICD-9 codes for billing for multiple doctors each day.
- Enter patient information and verify information according to HIPAA regulations.
- Maintain confidentiality of all company and patient information in accordance with HIPAA regulations and DaVita policies.
- Respect privacy and confidentiality of patients and their information in all activity according to HIPPA guidelines.
- Collect and enter all necessary demographic, clinical, billing and insurance information from patients or responsible party.
- Post and accept charge in EHR, verify the number of units, diagnostic codes and rendering physician
- Practice time management and multitasking, becoming resourceful in overcoming obstacles in both the administrative and clinical setting.
Registration specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 25% of Registration Specialists are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Medical Terminology. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Customer-service skills, and Listening skills.
We break down the percentage of Registration Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 25%
Attained and authenticated patient insurance information, counsel patients on changes in insurance policies, verify patient demographics.
- Customer Service, 14%
Provide excellent customer service and communication skills by cordially, professionally, and effectively interacting with a variety of patients.
- Medical Terminology, 8%
Maintain knowledge of revenue cycle operations, third party reimbursement and medical terminology.
- Patient Registration, 5%
Acted as primary liaison to ambulatory management regarding staff performance, ensuring accuracy and best practices throughout patient registration.
- Insurance Verification, 4%
Determined benefit level, coordination of benefits, coinsurance amounts for hospital and clinic services using knowledge of insurance verification.
- Data Entry, 4%
Exceeded company requirements for quality and quantity of reporting standards in data entry projects.
Common skills that a registration specialist uses to do their job include "patients," "customer service," and "medical terminology." You can find details on the most important registration specialist responsibilities below.
Customer-service skills. Another essential skill to perform registration specialist duties is customer-service skills. Registration specialists responsibilities require that "representatives help companies retain customers by professionally answering questions and helping to resolve complaints." Registration specialists also use customer-service skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "prioritized data entry daily to ensure customers' needs were met. "
Listening skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of registration specialists is listening skills. This skill is critical to many everyday registration specialist duties, as "representatives must listen carefully to ensure that they understand customers in order to assist them." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "communicated with privately paying patients about service charges and aided patients with payment arrangements. "
Patience. registration specialist responsibilities often require "patience." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "representatives should be patient and polite, especially when interacting with dissatisfied customers." This resume example shows what registration specialists do with patience on a typical day: "registered er patience, lab, x rays and surgery patients. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for registration specialist responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of registration specialists all the time, as "representatives must determine solutions to customers’ problems." An excerpt from a real registration specialist resume shows how this skill is central to what a registration specialist does: "solved problems and conflicts so that students can continue the registration process. "
Communication skills. While "communication skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to registration specialist responsibilities. Much of what a registration specialist does relies on this skill, seeing as "customer service representatives must be able to provide clear information in writing, by phone, or in person." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of registration specialists: "answer incoming and make outgoing telephone calls using excellent communication skills with patients and staff. "
The three companies that hire the most registration specialists are:
- Indiana University Health La Porte Hospital Inc75 registration specialists jobs
- Lehigh Valley Health Network61 registration specialists jobs
- CoxHealth32 registration specialists jobs
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Compare different registration specialists
Registration specialist vs. Patient access representative
A Patient Access Representative is the first point of contact of a patient in a hospital facility. Among the duties include the checking-in and out of a patient, gathering a patient's information for the Doctors and Nurses to use, communicates with the patient's family or caregivers, and processes insurance billing. Most of the time, A Patient Access Representative encounters the critically ill or injured which is why one must possess great communication skills and compassion.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a registration specialist are more likely to require skills like "basic math," "outbound calls," "emr," and "patient payments." On the other hand, a job as a patient access representative requires skills like "physician orders," "cycle management," "patient liability," and "patient flow." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Patient access representatives really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $33,319. Comparatively, registration specialists tend to make the most money in the health care industry with an average salary of $30,648.patient access representatives tend to reach similar levels of education than registration specialists. In fact, patient access representatives are 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Registration specialist vs. Patient registrar
A patient registrar is responsible for receiving patients in a hospital or other health care institutions, verifying their information, and leading them to the appropriate facility for their health care needs. Patient registrars manage the hospital's database, updating patients' information, confirming insurance details, taking calls, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, scheduling appointments, and performing related administrative and clerical tasks as needed. A patient registrar must have excellent communication and organizational skills to provide the best quality care services to the patients.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real registration specialist resumes. While registration specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "basic math," "excellent interpersonal," "emergency room," and "financial assistance," patient registrars use skills like "pbx," "patient insurance," "rehabilitation," and "insurance forms."
On average, patient registrars earn a higher salary than registration specialists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, patient registrars earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $33,106. Whereas registration specialists have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $30,648.In general, patient registrars achieve similar levels of education than registration specialists. They're 0.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Registration specialist vs. Business office specialist
A business office specialist is primarily in charge of performing administrative support tasks in an office for a smooth and efficient workflow. Their responsibilities typically include answering calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, liaising with internal and external parties, organizing and disseminating files, updating databases, arranging meetings and appointments, and maintaining records of all client-based transactions. They may also monitor the inventory of office supplies, process procurement requests when necessary. Moreover, they must address office issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from registration specialist resumes include skills like "medical terminology," "insurance eligibility," "home health," and "basic math," whereas a business office specialist is more likely to list skills in "payroll," "billing issues," "pet," and "lab reports. "
Business office specialists typically earn similar educational levels compared to registration specialists. Specifically, they're 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Registration specialist vs. Billing specialist
Billing specialists are accounting or finance employees who are responsible for sending out billing invoices to clients. They calculate charges that their clients have incurred. They then write bills, ensure that all details are correct, and send these out to clients. They also manage payment due dates and ensure that clients are duly reminded of such deadlines. Billing specialists also manage client accounts and ensure that they are paying on time. They help identify clients who have outstanding payables and send out collection notices to them. At times, billing specialists also manage the receipt of payments to manage account records better.
Types of registration specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
