Unit secretary vs patient access representative

The differences between unit secretaries and patient access representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a unit secretary, becoming a patient access representative takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a patient access representative has an average salary of $33,603, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a unit secretary include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for a patient access representative are patients, customer service, and medical terminology.

Unit secretary vs patient access representative overview

	Unit Secretary	Patient Access Representative
Yearly salary	$32,153	$33,603
Hourly rate	$15.46	$16.16
Growth rate	-8%	-4%
Number of jobs	69,543	151,077
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	49	40
Years of experience	2	4

What does a unit secretary do?

Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.

What does a patient access representative do?

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.

Unit secretary vs patient access representative salary

Unit secretaries and patient access representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Secretary	Patient Access Representative
Average salary	$32,153	$33,603
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between unit secretary and patient access representative education

There are a few differences between a unit secretary and a patient access representative in terms of educational background:

	Unit Secretary	Patient Access Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Unit secretary vs patient access representative demographics

Here are the differences between unit secretaries' and patient access representatives' demographics:

	Unit Secretary	Patient Access Representative
Average age	49	40
Gender ratio	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%	Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
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, 12.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	7%

Differences between unit secretary and patient access representative duties and responsibilities

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

Patient access representative example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPPA and clinic.
Conduct intensive screening of all Medicare, Medicaid and manage care patients for provider service eligibility.
Educate eligible applicants about Medicaid manage care and how to access benefits in a manage care environment.
Run internal reports to ensure ICD 9 and CPT procedure codes are accurate for billing for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Deliver quality customer service and compassion while obtaining demographic and financial data from patients seeking emergency medical services.
Operate front desk check-in, preparation of charts, receive payments and balance books at the end of the day.

Unit secretary vs patient access representative skills

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

Common patient access representative skills

Patients, 20%
Customer Service, 13%
Medical Terminology, 9%
Patient Care, 5%
Patient Registration, 5%
Insurance Verification, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Unit Secretary
Unit Secretary vs Patient Access Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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