What is a Health Care Coordinator? - Description, Salary & Demand
Learn more about the day-to-day tasks of a healthcare coordinator. Get the facts about the education requirements, median income, and projected job growth to determine if this field is right for you.
Career Information at a Glance
Healthcare coordinators oversee the operations of medical services in a given medical office or department. They are responsible for the hiring and training of staff as well as staying up to date on the necessary laws and regulations relating to healthcare practice. In the table below, you'll find the education requirements, essential skills, projected job growth, and median income for healthcare coordinators.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Education Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred by many employers</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Field of Study</b> </td><td> Healthcare administration, health management, public health administration, business administration</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Required Skills</b> </td><td> Organizational skills, communication skills, leadership skills, technical skills</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Projected Job Growth (2020-2030)</b> </td><td> 32% (for all medical and health services managers)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Median Income (2020)</b> </td><td> $104,280 (for all medical and health services managers)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *US Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDoesAHealthcareCoordinatorDo">What Does a Healthcare Coordinator Do?</h3><p>Healthcare coordinators, also referred to as healthcare administrators, are tasked with a variety of roles to ensure the successful and efficient operation of a healthcare office or department. They can be responsible for overseeing the work of an entire medical facility or a given department. Healthcare coordinators create work schedules to ensure that their medical facilities are properly staffed at all times. They also are responsible for hiring and training any new employees and making sure they meet all licensure and certification requirements. Healthcare coordinators may also develop goals for their departments to improve the quality of their services, maintain the department's budget, and represent their facilities at board and investor meetings.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatTypeOfEducationIsRequiredToBecomeAHealthcareCoordinator">What Type of Education Is Required to Become a Healthcare Coordinator?</h3><p>Entry-level positions require that a candidate hold a bachelor's degree; because of the multifaceted nature of the role, there are several different applicable degree paths. At the undergraduate level, most healthcare coordinators earn their degrees in healthcare administration, health management, or business administration. Degrees that combine business administration skills with coursework in medical terminology and operations prove useful. Many employers commonly require that a candidate earn a master's degree in a related field in order to work as a healthcare coordinator. Master's programs generally take two or three years and combine both classroom work and applied supervised work experience in a healthcare office.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatTypeOfWorkExperienceIsRequired">What Type of Work Experience Is Required?</h3><p>Most employers prefer to hire healthcare coordinators that have gained relevant work experience in either a medical role or in an administrative role in a hospital to ensure that they are familiar with the internal workings of a healthcare system. It is common for registered nurses to transition towards a degree in healthcare administration after gaining hands-on experience within a given hospital or department. Otherwise, relevant work experience can be gained as an administrative assistant or health information technician in a healthcare office, among other roles.
</p><h3 id="section---HowMuchDoHealthcareCoordinatorsMake">How Much Do Healthcare Coordinators Make?</h3><p>According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical and health service managers earned a median income of $104,280 annually. The highest-paying positions were recorded as those in local, state, and private hospitals, followed by government positions. The BLS also reports that medical and health service managers typically work full-time, and can be tasked with working nights, weekends, and holidays. It is also common that healthcare coordinators need to be on call in case of emergencies.
</p><h3 id="section---AreHealthcareCoordinatorsInHighDemand">Are Healthcare Coordinators in High Demand?</h3><p>Between the years of 2020 and 2030, employment for medical and health service managers is expected to grow by 32%, which is much faster than all other occupations, according to the BLS. The demand for these roles is projected to increase as the demand for overall healthcare services increases. As the US population continues to grow and age, there is somewhat of a chain effect in the healthcare industry. The demand for physicians and other medical workers is projected to increase, which will ultimately lead to more administrative management positions to manage and oversee their work. Healthcare coordinators with master's degrees in healthcare administration and working knowledge of electronic health records (EHRs) that they have gained through relevant work experience are likely to have the best chances of employment.</p>