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.
Unit secretary responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real unit secretary resumes:
- 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
- Obtain and maintain CPR certification and associate education requirements for patient care.
- Transcribe physician orders and laboratory test and medications in the computerized EMR system
- Record physician orders on patients chart in hospital MediTech computerize charting system.
- Prepare and attach patients to cardiac telemetry monitors, examine heartbeat patterns on electrocardiograph monitors.
- Provide exceptional customer service while working with patients, providers and insurance companies to coordinate fertility benefits.
- Demonstrate diligent organization with transcription of physician orders, maintain medical record charts, enter patient labs.
- Apply knowledge of coding systems, includingICD-9-CM, CPT, HCPCS.
- Check patients in clinic enter all demographics in IDX.
- Point of reference for all HUC's for problem solving and system changes.
Unit secretary skills and personality traits
We calculated that 25% of Unit Secretaries are proficient in Patients, Patient Care, and Medical Terminology. They’re also known for soft skills such as Writing skills, Organizational skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Unit Secretaries that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 25%
Performed daily unit rounding in patients rooms, reported any discrepancies to maintenance and housekeeping departments to maintain patient satisfaction.
- Patient Care, 13%
Communicate effectively to optimize patient care, express positive customer relations and contribute to a supportive and cooperative working environment.
- Medical Terminology, 10%
Perform various secretarial and clerical duties, utilizing knowledge of dialysis and medical terminology and by following company policies and procedure.
- Customer Service, 7%
Advanced hands-on technology training in customer service, experience providing superior customer service and work quality while demonstrating attention to detail.
- Patient Charts, 4%
Initiated patient intake, collected critical medical history information, established and maintained patient charts.
- Physician Orders, 4%
Transcribed all physician orders accurately and promptly in accordance with hospital policies and entered confidential patient data and processed admissions/discharges of patients
Common skills that a unit secretary uses to do their job include "patients," "patient care," and "medical terminology." You can find details on the most important unit secretary responsibilities below.
Writing skills. The most essential soft skill for a unit secretary to carry out their responsibilities is writing skills. This skill is important for the role because "secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers." Additionally, a unit secretary resume shows how their duties depend on writing skills: "schedule future/recent patient appointments into secure computer system, as well as hand writing appointments into correct appointment book. "
Organizational skills. Another essential skill to perform unit secretary duties is organizational skills. Unit secretaries responsibilities require that "secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently." Unit secretaries also use organizational skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "coordinated with nurses to create internal reporting and unit organizational tools to maximize efficiency and patient care. "
Interpersonal skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of unit secretaries is interpersonal skills. This skill is critical to many everyday unit secretary duties, as "secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "power chart, microsoft outlook, medical terminology, office procedures and interpersonal relationship skills. "
The three companies that hire the most unit secretarys are:
- RWJBarnabas Health179 unit secretaries jobs
- Community Health Systems89 unit secretaries jobs
- Encompass Health85 unit secretaries jobs
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Compare different unit secretaries
Unit secretary vs. Medical receptionist
Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital. They help patients to their respective appointments. They also assist doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners by ensuring that the schedule for the day is being followed. They are also in charge of assisting visitors by directing them wherever they would need to go. Medical receptionists also answer inquiries by patients or visitors. Medical knowledge, great customer service skills, and a friendly attitude are needed.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, unit secretary responsibilities require skills like "physician orders," "rehabilitation," "clerical support," and "cpr." Meanwhile a typical medical receptionist has skills in areas such as "check-in," "patient referrals," "insurance eligibility," and "patient demographics." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Medical receptionists tend to make the most money working in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,483. In contrast, unit secretaries make the biggest average salary, $31,531, in the health care industry.The education levels that medical receptionists earn slightly differ from unit secretaries. In particular, medical receptionists are 1.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a unit secretary. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Unit secretary vs. Referral coordinator
A referral coordinator works with insurance companies and care providers to share essential patient information and assists primarily in scheduling appointments and managing health insurance issues. As a referral coordinator, you will work directly with the patient, patient families, or even social workers, depending on the job and patient needs. Other job responsibilities include general administrative or clerical tasks such as setting up appointments for new and existing patients, verifying insurance information before appointments, and answering phone calls.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that unit secretary responsibilities requires skills like "physician orders," "rehabilitation," "clerical support," and "cpr." But a referral coordinator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "cpt," "patient referrals," "patient demographics," and "appointment scheduling."
Referral coordinators may earn a higher salary than unit secretaries, but referral coordinators earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $35,297. On the other hand, unit secretaries receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $31,531.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Referral coordinators tend to reach similar levels of education than unit secretaries. In fact, they're 1.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Unit secretary vs. Registration coordinator
A registration coordinator is in charge of organizing and overseeing the registration procedures in programs and projects. Their duties primarily depend on their industry or place of employment. Still, it typically includes coordinating staff, managing the budgets and schedules, setting goals and guidelines, liaising with external parties, and developing strategies to optimize operations. Furthermore, a registration coordinator must monitor the progress of all efforts, resolve issues and concerns, and enforce the company's policies and regulations.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from unit secretary resumes include skills like "physician orders," "rehabilitation," "clerical support," and "vital signs," whereas a registration coordinator is more likely to list skills in "patient registration," "powerpoint," "patient demographics," and "strong customer service. "
When it comes to education, registration coordinators tend to earn similar degree levels compared to unit secretaries. In fact, they're 3.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Unit secretary vs. Scheduling coordinator
A scheduling coordinator is responsible for arranging the calendars and managing the appointments of a senior employee. Scheduling coordinators keep a record of meetings, reminding the key personnel as well as other participants of any schedule adjustments and cancellations. They are also responsible for booking venues for events and processing travel arrangements, following the specifications of the head personnel. A scheduling coordinator must be detail-oriented, as well as having excellent communication and organization skills to answer schedule queries and perform administrative tasks as needed.
Types of unit secretary
Updated January 8, 2025
