Unit secretary vs scheduling specialist

The differences between unit secretaries and scheduling specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a unit secretary and a scheduling specialist. Additionally, a scheduling specialist has an average salary of $37,269, 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 scheduling specialist are patients, medical terminology, and home health.

Unit secretary vs scheduling specialist overview

	Unit Secretary	Scheduling Specialist
Yearly salary	$32,153	$37,269
Hourly rate	$15.46	$17.92
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	69,543	73,381
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

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 scheduling specialist do?

A scheduling specialist is responsible for managing the department's meeting, conference, and event schedules, as well as negotiating with suppliers and third-party vendors for appointment and program needs. Scheduling specialists may also perform administrative and clerical duties as needed, especially on communicating with clients and informing them of meetings, and responding to their concerns and inquiries. A scheduling specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as knowledge of the data processing procedures to maintain the organization's database, updating clients' information, and tracking business transactions.

Unit secretary vs scheduling specialist salary

Unit secretaries and scheduling specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Secretary	Scheduling Specialist
Average salary	$32,153	$37,269
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Bristol-Myers Squibb
Best paying industry	Health Care	Transportation

Differences between unit secretary and scheduling specialist education

There are a few differences between a unit secretary and a scheduling specialist in terms of educational background:

	Unit Secretary	Scheduling Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	-	-

Unit secretary vs scheduling specialist demographics

Here are the differences between unit secretaries' and scheduling specialists' demographics:

	Unit Secretary	Scheduling Specialist
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%	Male, 23.9% Female, 76.1%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between unit secretary and scheduling specialist 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

Scheduling specialist example responsibilities.

Manage clinic visit schedules, rehabilitation conferences, medical exams, trial appearances, depositions, etc.
Treat all patients with compassion and dignity no matter what their socioeconomic status is.
Job entail becoming familiar with medical insurance carriers, which include Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Schedule patients for radiology procedures, including complicate scheduling for multiple exams in one patient visit.
Register patients into EMR system, ensuring accuracy when updating patient information, demographics and insurance.
Schedule outpatient appointment for radiology patients, verify insurance, obtain authorization from insurance companies for special procedures.

Unit secretary vs scheduling specialist skills

Common unit secretary skills

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

Common scheduling specialist skills

Patients, 25%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Home Health, 7%
Patient Care, 5%
Insurance Verification, 4%
Excellent Interpersonal, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Unit Secretary
Unit Secretary vs Scheduling Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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