Patient Care Coordinator: Career Overview, Salary Range, and FAQ

Are you looking to embark on a promising career where you can actually make a difference? A patient care coordinator helps patients navigate healthcare — they manage referrals, arrange support services, serve as a liaison between providers, and much more. This is a great career track if you want to be a resource for patients and their families. Being highly organized, friendly, and cooperative are essential qualities in this role.

While medicine attempts to treat disease, many root causes of illness are linked to social determinants of health (SDOH), or the circumstances of patients’ lives. Community, socioeconomic factors, geographic location, cultural values, and other social factors impact between 30% and 55% of health outcomes.

Care coordinators — also called patient service coordinators — understand SDOH and their impact on patients. This role was developed to address health and promote the best outcomes for patients with fewer resources than others. A patient coordinator may work in any of the following healthcare settings:

• Acute care hospitals
• Children’s hospitals
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Primary care practices
• Home health agencies

What Does a Patient Care Coordinator Do?

Care coordinators assess patient needs, create individualized care plans, and track progress over time. They also manage transitions between care settings, such as from a hospital to home health, to make sure patients don’t fall through the cracks. A patient coordinator is especially vital for people with chronic illnesses, multiple providers, or socioeconomic barriers to care.

Patient Service Coordinator Job Duties

• Intake visits and assessments to determine a patient’s health status and potential needs
• Planning a patient’s discharge from acute care to home health
• Calling specialists to determine whether they’ll accept a patient’s insurance
• Investigating a patient’s post-acute facility options given their finances, insurance coverage, and Medicare/Medicaid status
• Coordinating family planning sessions to determine a new plan of care
• Educating patients and families about their facility and service options
• Documenting care plans and outcomes in the electronic health record (EHR)

Pros and Cons of a Career in Care Coordination

What might you like or dislike about being a patient coordinator? While that depends on your personal preferences, check out some potential pros and cons of this field.

Patient Care Coordinator Salary and Job Outlook

A patient service coordinator typically makes between $39,000 and $85,000 annually. What you make will depend on your education, experience, facility, location, and more. As healthcare grows more complex, there will likely be a greater need for care coordinators to help patients navigate and access essential care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in related fields like medical and health services management, so job opportunities may be expanding in this field.

3 Steps to Work in Patient Care Coordination

Unlike clinical roles like registered nurse (RN) and medical doctor (MD), there’s no specific degree track for this role. Employers may have different requirements that depend on the setting, so review job postings in your area to see what facilities are looking for. Here’s a general outline of the steps to take to begin a career in care coordination:

Step 1: Earn an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree

What degree is needed for patient care coordination? A person can hold a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, social work, care coordination, or an allied health field. A bachelor’s degree can open more doors, but an associate’s degree may be enough for entry-level positions.

Step 2: Complete an Internship

Hands-on experience can help you gain practical skills and build out your resume. Look for internships, volunteer opportunities, or entry-level healthcare positions that let you practice communication, planning, and patient advocacy. The company you intern with could be a potential setting for your first role.

Step 3: Apply for Roles

Once you complete your education and gain experience, apply for positions in hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, or home health agencies. Tailor your resume to highlight organizational skills, patient advocacy, and knowledge of care systems.

Optional Step 4: Earn a Certification

While not always required, certification can help you stand out and advance in care coordination. Depending on your background, one or more of these credentials could benefit your career:

• Certified Case Manager (CCM) from the Commission for Case Manager Certification
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) from the National Association for Healthcare Quality

Patient Service Coordinator FAQ

Is a care coordinator the same as a receptionist?

No, a receptionist focuses on front desk duties like scheduling, phone calls, and greeting patients. Care coordination focuses on helping to manage a patient’s journey through the healthcare system.

Care coordinator vs. case manager: What’s the difference?

The roles overlap, but there are distinctions. A patient service coordinator typically works directly with people to help them understand their treatment plan, schedule follow-ups, and connect with resources. A case manager takes a broader view, managing more complex cases and ensuring long-term needs are met. Case management roles are more likely to require a nursing or social work license.

Do patient care coordinators need to be nurses?

No. Some care coordinators are registered nurses, and these professionals are more commonly called nurse navigators. Coordinators can also come from backgrounds in healthcare administration, social work, or public health. Employers usually want candidates with strong communication skills, knowledge of healthcare systems, and a degree in a related field.

Find Your Next Healthcare Job

Working as a patient care coordinator is just one of the ways you can make an impact on patients. If you’re curious about open roles in your area, sign up for personalized job notifications from IntelyCare. We’ll send you tailored alerts to roles that fit your skills, schedule, and location. Learn more today.