What is a Patient Representative?
Patient Representative Definition Assist patients in obtaining services, understanding policies and making health care decisions.
Life As a Patient Representative: What Do They Do?
- Maintain knowledge of community services and resources available to patients.
- Investigate and direct patient inquiries or complaints to appropriate medical staff members and follow up to ensure satisfactory resolution.
- Analyze patients’ abilities to pay to determine charges on a sliding scale.
- Provide consultation or training to volunteers or staff on topics such as guest relations, patients’ rights, or medical issues.
- Teach patients to use home health care equipment.
- Explain policies, procedures, or services to patients using medical or administrative knowledge.
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What Every Patient Representative Should Know
Patient Representatives state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Patient Representative
- Admitting Clerk
- Patient Representative
- Patient Registrar
- Patient Service Representative
- Admitting Representative
Job Demand for Patient Representatives
In the United States, there were 2,784,500 jobs for Patient Representative in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 136,300 new jobs for Patient Representative by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 373,500 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Patient Representative are Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Minnesota, or Massachusetts. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Patient Representative Make?
The typical yearly salary for Patient Representatives is somewhere between $22,140 and $55,310.
Patient Representatives who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Patient Representatives make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,580 |
| Alaska | $39,300 |
| Arizona | $34,570 |
| Arkansas | $32,350 |
| California | $41,850 |
| Colorado | $37,390 |
| Connecticut | $41,160 |
| Delaware | $38,060 |
| District of Columbia | $46,880 |
| Florida | $33,730 |
| Georgia | $35,130 |
| Hawaii | $38,670 |
| Idaho | $32,390 |
| Illinois | $37,840 |
| Indiana | $36,200 |
| Iowa | $37,400 |
| Kansas | $35,330 |
| Kentucky | $32,230 |
| Louisiana | $32,440 |
| Maine | $34,950 |
| Maryland | $37,720 |
| Massachusetts | $43,620 |
| Michigan | $36,650 |
| Minnesota | $39,690 |
| Mississippi | $28,210 |
| Missouri | $35,020 |
| Montana | $34,910 |
| Nebraska | $35,730 |
| Nevada | $33,690 |
| New Hampshire | $38,930 |
| New Jersey | $40,330 |
| New Mexico | $31,380 |
| New York | $40,830 |
| North Carolina | $34,690 |
| North Dakota | $37,910 |
| Ohio | $35,980 |
| Oklahoma | $32,790 |
| Oregon | $37,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,000 |
| Rhode Island | $38,970 |
| South Carolina | $32,320 |
| South Dakota | $31,150 |
| Tennessee | $34,420 |
| Texas | $33,770 |
| Utah | $33,790 |
| Vermont | $37,760 |
| Virginia | $35,030 |
| Washington | $40,820 |
| West Virginia | $31,730 |
| Wisconsin | $37,850 |
| Wyoming | $36,400 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Patient Representatives
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Patient Representatives:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
- Google Docs
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Epic Systems
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
How do I Become a Patient Representative?
What education is needed to be a Patient Representative?
What work experience do I need to become a Patient Representative?
Where Patient Representatives Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Patient Representatives employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Patient Representative may also be interested in:
- Special Education Teachers, Middle School
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Those who work as a Patient Representative sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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