Patient Representatives: Career Overview
Assist patients in obtaining services, understanding policies and making health care decisions.
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What Do Patient Representatives Take On?
The core tasks performed by patient representatives cover:
- Coordinate communication between patients, family members, medical staff, administrative staff, or regulatory agencies.
- Interview patients or their representatives to identify problems relating to care.
- Refer patients to appropriate health care services or resources.
- Maintain knowledge of community services and resources available to patients.
- Explain policies, procedures, or services to patients using medical or administrative knowledge.
- Investigate and direct patient inquiries or complaints to appropriate medical staff members and follow up to ensure satisfactory resolution.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the field.
- Develop and distribute newsletters, brochures, or other printed materials to share information with patients or medical staff.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful patient representatives draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Patient Representatives Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Access Representative
- Admissions Coordinator
- Admitting Clerk
- Admitting Representative
- Care Navigator
- Case Manager
- Clinical Liaison
- Healthcare Registrar
Job Outlook
There are about 3,215,162 patient representatives working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +4.8% over the projection horizon.
Patient Representatives Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,419 |
| Hourly median | $22.80 |
| 10th percentile | $28,763 |
| 25th percentile | $38,091 |
| 75th percentile | $56,747 |
| 90th percentile | $66,075 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Patient Representatives Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $65,560 |
| Delaware | $64,860 |
| Washington | $59,960 |
| Kansas | $59,780 |
| Maine | $58,820 |
| California | $58,310 |
| Oregon | $58,240 |
| Massachusetts | $58,210 |
| New York | $57,690 |
| Hawaii | $56,260 |
| New Jersey | $56,100 |
| Rhode Island | $55,840 |
| New Hampshire | $55,350 |
| Arizona | $55,200 |
| Minnesota | $55,070 |
| Colorado | $54,080 |
| Montana | $53,450 |
| District of Columbia | $53,020 |
| Vermont | $52,470 |
| South Dakota | $51,460 |
| Georgia | $51,020 |
| Alaska | $49,900 |
| Kentucky | $49,900 |
| Illinois | $49,570 |
| Wisconsin | $49,370 |
| Nevada | $49,270 |
| Connecticut | $49,120 |
| West Virginia | $49,000 |
| Virginia | $48,380 |
| Michigan | $47,550 |
| Texas | $47,410 |
| Indiana | $47,300 |
| Idaho | $47,130 |
| Tennessee | $47,000 |
| Ohio | $46,730 |
| Maryland | $46,550 |
| New Mexico | $46,440 |
| North Dakota | $46,020 |
| Iowa | $46,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,700 |
| North Carolina | $45,100 |
| Nebraska | $44,480 |
| Utah | $44,360 |
| Florida | $43,980 |
| Alabama | $43,370 |
| Missouri | $41,860 |
| Oklahoma | $41,080 |
| South Carolina | $40,420 |
| Arkansas | $39,260 |
| Mississippi | $38,290 |
| Louisiana | $37,630 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,400 |
Where Patient Representatives Earn the Most
Pay for patient representatives vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $57,645 | 19.4% | 1.21 |
| New England | $56,248 | 4.2% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $52,050 | 15.6% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,355 | 2.9% | 0.76 |
| Great Lakes | $47,965 | 14.9% | 1.12 |
| Southwest | $47,761 | 11.8% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $46,192 | 7.1% | 1.28 |
| Southeast | $44,657 | 23.6% | 1.07 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $74,600 | 1,330 |
| Topeka, KS | KS | $71,680 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $70,850 | 2,990 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $69,340 | 90 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | AZ | $66,800 | 60 |
| Albany, OR | OR | $66,300 | 40 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $64,910 | 240 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | KY | $64,530 | 570 |
Top Industries Employing Patient Representatives
The bulk of patient representatives work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 155,430 | $48,230 |
| Educational Services | 3,190 | $61,290 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 3,170 | $51,750 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,670 | $49,320 |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,340 | $53,250 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,310 | $62,190 |
| Retail Trade | 900 | $47,610 |
| Wholesale Trade | 880 | $58,760 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for patient representatives tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Patient Representatives
Entry-level patient representatives positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Primary-Long)
- Health Informatics Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Supplemental)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Healthcare Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Health Education Specialists (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for patient representatives typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
14 programs across 3 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2099.08 (Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other).
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