Scheduler vs patient service specialist

The differences between schedulers and patient service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a scheduler, becoming a patient service specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a scheduler has an average salary of $40,565, which is higher than the $33,563 average annual salary of a patient service specialist.

The top three skills for a scheduler include patients, customer service and medical terminology. The most important skills for a patient service specialist are patients, patient service, and physical therapy.

Scheduler vs patient service specialist overview

	Scheduler	Patient Service Specialist
Yearly salary	$40,565	$33,563
Hourly rate	$19.50	$16.14
Growth rate	-8%	-4%
Number of jobs	56,890	105,915
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	49	40
Years of experience	2	4

What does a scheduler do?

A scheduler is responsible for arranging appointments and carrying out reminder calls and correspondence to anyone involved. In a company setting, it is also a scheduler's responsibility to coordinate with various departments and personnel to organize an accurate timetable that will consist of meetings, gatherings, deadlines, or other pressing matters. Furthermore, a scheduler must have attention to detail as one must perform bookkeeping tasks, fix scheduling issues or conflicts, and organize documentation. There are also instances where one must process orders or payments.

What does a patient service specialist do?

A patient service representative serves as a patient's primary point of contact in a hospital or clinic, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. They are mainly responsible for gathering a patient's information and medical history, verifying insurance forms, managing accounts, and processing payments, arranging appointments, and even performing reminder calls and correspondence. There are also instances when a patient service representative must discuss situations to patients and their families, and even alert the doctors when a patient displays strange or unlikely behavior.

Scheduler vs patient service specialist salary

Schedulers and patient service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Scheduler	Patient Service Specialist
Average salary	$40,565	$33,563
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $68,000	Between $27,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	New York	Massachusetts
Best paying company	BP America Inc	Virginia Eye Institute
Best paying industry	Construction	Health Care

Differences between scheduler and patient service specialist education

There are a few differences between a scheduler and a patient service specialist in terms of educational background:

	Scheduler	Patient Service Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Scheduler vs patient service specialist demographics

Here are the differences between schedulers' and patient service specialists' demographics:

	Scheduler	Patient Service Specialist
Average age	49	40
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 12.5% Female, 87.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	7%

Differences between scheduler and patient service specialist duties and responsibilities

Scheduler example responsibilities.

Manage clinic visit schedules, rehabilitation conferences, medical exams, trial appearances, depositions, etc.
Utilize knowledge of medical insurance including manage care, Medicare, Medicaid, liability and workman's compensation.
Manage patient pre-op responsibilities, and generate all necessary paperwork.
Schedule procedure, surgery f/u, register new patients, referrals, insurance, send nurse messages.
Schedule patients for test and surgery procedures with and without anesthesia using the Surgi-Server computerize scheduling system.
Schedule patients for radiology and nuclear medicine procedures, verify insurance benefits, and obtain prior authorizations for patient procedures.

Patient service specialist example responsibilities.

Benefit coverage eligibility or concerns for patients will be complete timely to achieve identify outcomes or solutions.
Greet patients and visitors with warmth, compassion, and demonstrate commitment to exceptional service.
Provide customer service to patients via registration, co-pay and co-insurance payment collection, appointment scheduling and telephone service
Obtain patient demographic, billing, insurance, and other necessary intake information for patients seeking rehabilitation services.
Screen, triage, register and verify a high volume of client eligibility and demographic data.
Direct callers to appropriate personnel, and initiate a triage slip for response by medical personnel.

Scheduler vs patient service specialist skills

Common scheduler skills

Patients, 21%
Customer Service, 13%
Medical Terminology, 7%
Patient Care, 5%
Data Entry, 3%
Home Health, 3%

Common patient service specialist skills

Patients, 20%
Patient Service, 9%
Physical Therapy, 8%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Appointments, 8%
Front Desk, 7%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Scheduler
Scheduler vs Patient Service Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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