Patient services coordinators are responsible for administrative and general office duties. Service coordinators are the initial contact for patients in medical environments. Patient services coordinators must follow the guidelines set for by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regarding patient confidentiality and privacy.

Duties

Duties of patient services coordinators include greeting patients, verifying insurance information and collecting applicable co-payments. Patient services coordinators also answer multiple phone lines and triage patient calls. As a patient services coordinator you will also schedule appointments, arrange patient referrals and coordinate diagnostic testing. Other duties may be assigned as necessary to ensure office workflow.

Qualifications

Patient services coordinators must be knowledgeable about medical terminology. Excellent communication and customer service skills are necessary in this role. Coordinators should have a working knowledge of various medical insurances. Some additional qualifications of patient services coordinators include grammar, spelling and word processing skills. Basic computer skills are necessary to utilize the computerized scheduling software. Patient services coordinators should also be able to evaluate and analytically solve problems.

Education

Patient services coordinators at minimum are required to possess a high school diploma. College degrees are typically not required by potential employers recruiting for this role. Individuals seeking employment as patient services coordinators should consider obtaining medical terminology certification. There are options for certification available through accredited online companies. Prior medical terminology certification is preferred but nor required by most employers recruiting for this role.

Opportunities

Employment opportunities for patient services coordinators exist in hospitals, dentistry, plastic and cosmetic surgery facilities. Healthcare is one of the few sustainable career industries available. Patient services coordinators can utilize acquired skill sets to transition into office manager or nursing roles. Payscale.com reports the patient services coordinator workforce is currently 98 percent female.

Salary

Individuals seeking employment as patient services coordinators can expect to earn an annual salary or hourly rate. Typically individuals who are employed in medical and dentistry fields will earn a similar starting hourly rate of $10 to $14, according to PayScale.com. The annual salary for patient service coordinators can range from $21,000 to $31,000.