Emergency rooms, doctors' offices and clinics across America are busy and often require long waits to be seen by a physician. It is nor uncommon to sit in an emergency room for hours before being attended to by a medical professional. The patients are seen in the order of condition's severity: the most sick or injured are seen first. The coordinator is responsible for moving these patients efficiently through the process.

Job Requirements

These opportunities require a high school diploma or GED. In addition, there are several administrative medical programs offered by trade schools throughout the United States both on campus and online. These positions generally require several years of customer service experience, preferably in a medical setting. These positions require a basic knowledge of medical terminology. The candidate must also have time management, organizational and problem-solving skills. He must be able to work independently and have the ability to communicate with people from all levels of the organization and patient population. The coordinator will usually learn a lot of terminology and test protocols once on the job.

Salary Data

Patient flow coordinators earn an average annual salary of $45,000 in the United States, according to Indeed.com. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that "employment of medical assistants is expected to grow 35 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the health care industry expands because of technological advances in medicine and the growth and aging of the population, there will be an increased need for all health care workers. Increasing use of medical assistants in the rapidly growing health care industry will further stimulate job growth.”

Nature of the Work

This work is conducted in hospitals, doctors' offices and clinics. These professionals are at risk of contracting diseases, illnesses and conditions. They are constantly surrounded by ill people. However, with proper care the chance of getting sick is slight. These are all climate-controlled environments and considered to be fairly comfortable. However, this job requires lots of standing and walking, as well as a high degree of patient interaction and customer service skills.

Job Duties

The coordinator is responsible for greeting patients and visitors as they arrive and for determining the reason for their visit. She is also responsible for entering patients' visits into the schedule and computer system. She is responsible for coordinating the patient flow by passing the patients' files to the nursing staff for a smooth flow of patients through the system. She is responsible for coordinating the patients' tests and procedures as well as receiving the results and forwarding them to the proper people. The coordinators also process patients' charts upon admission and discharge.

Other Duties

The coordinator is responsible for mentoring and training any new incoming coordinators. He is also charged with coordinating and maintaining nursing unit supplies, doctor supplies and all other clinical materials. He must monitor patient records and confidentiality while in his custody. He works with the safety staff to ensure a hazard-free work environment. He also responds to patient and visitor requests, complaints, and recommendations. If the problem cannot be resolved by the coordinator, the problem must be escalated to the proper staff.