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Rehab technician vs therapy technician

The differences between rehab technicians and therapy technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a therapy technician has an average salary of $28,943, which is higher than the $28,505 average annual salary of a rehab technician.

The top three skills for a rehab technician include patients, physical therapy and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a therapy technician are patients, rehabilitation, and CPR.

Rehab technician vs therapy technician overview

Rehab TechnicianTherapy Technician
Yearly salary$28,505$28,943
Hourly rate$13.70$13.91
Growth rate24%24%
Number of jobs27,96936,360
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age3943
Years of experience--

What does a rehab technician do?

A rehab technician's role is to assist physical therapists and patients in a hospital or similar facility. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's personal information and medical history, escorting them to corresponding rooms, and conducting initial tests and assessments. It is also essential to maintain records of all transactions, updating medical accounts promptly and accurately. Furthermore, a rehab technician may also perform basic treatments under the supervision of a physical therapist. There are also instances when they have to sanitize and clean therapy equipment, all in adherence to the facility's safety regulations and policies.

What does a therapy technician do?

A therapy technician is responsible for supporting therapists in providing the highest quality care services for the patients, administering treatment plans, and guiding patients to full recovery. Therapy technicians also perform administrative duties, such as updating patients' information on the database, monitoring patients' condition, reviewing medical charts, processing payments for therapy procedures, and performing medical examinations under the supervision of medical professionals. They operate various therapy equipment, inspect the performance of the machinery, and ask for maintenance support for repairs or replacement as needed.

Rehab technician vs therapy technician salary

Rehab technicians and therapy technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Rehab TechnicianTherapy Technician
Average salary$28,505$28,943
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $36,000Between $22,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CitySanta Rosa, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateColoradoWashington
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleySeattle Cancer Care Alliance
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between rehab technician and therapy technician education

There are a few differences between a rehab technician and a therapy technician in terms of educational background:

Rehab TechnicianTherapy Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorKinesiologyKinesiology
Most common collegeUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Rehab technician vs therapy technician demographics

Here are the differences between rehab technicians' and therapy technicians' demographics:

Rehab TechnicianTherapy Technician
Average age3943
Gender ratioMale, 33.7% Female, 66.3%Male, 28.6% Female, 71.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage7%8%

Differences between rehab technician and therapy technician duties and responsibilities

Rehab technician example responsibilities.

  • Make rounds for walkers and wheelchairs for patients.
  • Assist therapist with transfers, monitoring of splints, hot packs, and modalities.
  • Prepare patients for therapy sessions and assist patients to put on devices such as braces and splints.
  • Maintain and clean medical equipment, interact with staff and patients, and occasionally cover the reception desk.Skills UsedCNA and CPR
  • Provide nursing and orthopedic patient care for stroke patients, assisting with rehabilitation, medication and recovery knowledge.
  • Assist physical therapists in the rehabilitation of patients by providing exercise programs and proper treatment for healthy injury recovery.
  • Show more

Therapy technician example responsibilities.

  • Perform basic living care for patients and assist with exercises under supervision of a rehabilitation team member.
  • Provide patient assistance with rehabilitation protocol with appropriate education and technique while monitoring vital signs and effects of treatment.
  • Direct patients to need areas with crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, canes etc.
  • Work with the physical and occupational therapists to guide patients through prescribe exercise program efficiently and safely.
  • Prepare materials for assessments and provide assistance to individuals through hands-on methods and direct contact observations by assisting the rehabilitation supervisor.
  • Attend professional development workshops in augmentative communication devices, sign language, and skill integration.

Rehab technician vs therapy technician skills

Common rehab technician skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Physical Therapy, 10%
  • Rehabilitation, 10%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • CPR, 4%
  • Cleanliness, 4%
Common therapy technician skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Rehabilitation, 14%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Patient Safety, 6%
  • Occupational Therapy, 5%
  • Physical Therapy, 5%

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