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Patient care coordinators work with other medical professionals to provide the best healthcare possible to patients. They work in a number of capacities, depending on their employer, and are often registered nurses. Patient care coordinators who aren't nurses need an associate's or bachelor's degree in healthcare administration or a similar field.
What Is a Patient Care Coordinator?
A patient care coordinator's job is to ensure that a medical facility is providing high quality care services. They work with administration, staff, and patients to reach healthcare goals and keep the lines of communication open. Some are registered nurses, but this often is not mandatory. Those who aren't nurses often hold associate's or bachelor's degrees in a relevant area.
| Required Education | Associate's or bachelor's degree in healthcare administration or related area if not a registered nurse |
| Projected Job Growth (2019-2029) | -2% (decline) for all types of customer service representatives* |
| Median Salary (2021) | $48,000** |
Patient care coordinator salary and job growth Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **PayScale.com
Patient Care Coordinator Job Description
What does a patient care coordinator do? Patient care coordinator duties and responsibilities vary widely depending on the facility in which the coordinator works. The main job of a patient care coordinator is to ensure high quality healthcare. A coordinator helps to ensure patients understand every aspect of their care while also working with administration to create policies and make decisions that are in the best interest of patients. Patient coordinator duties may include:
- Developing and coordinating patient care programs
- Managing and preparing public relations information
- Managing human resources
- Handling patient case management
- Managing patient care
Patient Care Coordinator Education Requirements
A patient care coordinator has different education options depending on employer requirements. If a nursing degree is not required by an employer, then a student may pursue an associate's or bachelor's degree in a relevant area, such as medical or healthcare administration. These degree programs prepare a student for the administrative side of patient care. A student learns about medical office procedures, medical coding, transcription, management, and finance in these types of programs.
For students who want to work for an employer that requires a nursing degree, a bachelor's degree in nursing is a good option. In a nursing program, a student learns about nutrition, human resources, ethics, data management, chemistry, and anatomy. After graduation they must also be licensed as a nurse in accordance with state law.
According to Monster.com job advertisements from December 2020, employers also prefer a patient care coordinator to have at least two years of experience in healthcare. Some employers also prefer candidates to have specific experience in managing patient care. So what does a new patient coordinator do? Keep on the lookout - some listed jobs do not require as much experience. A patient coordinator may assist with human resources, medical care, public relations, and more, depending on where they work, in order to ensure the best care possible for patients.
FAQ
What is a patient coordinator?
A patient coordinator, also known as a patient care coordinator, works with administrative staff and healthcare providers to coordinate a patient's medical care.
Do patient care coordinators need a special license or degree?
In some facilities, a patient care coordinator is also a registered nurse (RN); however, this is not a requirement at all facilities. Some employers require patient care coordinators to have a nursing degree and registered nursing license. Others, however, will take candidates with an associate's or bachelor's degree in healthcare administration or a related field.
Where do patient care coordinators work?
Patient care coordinator jobs are often in hospitals, physicians' offices, dental offices, clinics, specialty care centers, and nursing care facilities.
How much does a patient care coordinator make?
According to Payscale.com, the total annual earnings for most patient care coordinators ranged from $34,000 to $78,000 as of March 2021.
