Care Coordinator Salary, Job Description, and Career Outlook

A care coordinator is a health care professional responsible for managing patient care by monitoring treatment plans, educating patients on their conditions, and connecting them to relevant health care providers. If you’re considering a career in health care and have a flair for leadership, an excellent ability to communicate with others to translate information in a way that they can understand, with a genuine desire to help people, a care coordinator job might be for you. Working as a care coordinator can be an attractive option with a higher-than-average salary for a care profession and a positive job outlook. 

Care coordinator definition and job description  

A health care coordinator or patient care coordinator takes a leadership role when it comes to managing and monitoring the care of patients. In this position, you are responsible for coordinating each patient's care, which may come from multiple providers, and ensuring effective treatment plans. You will connect patients with relevant care professionals, work to educate patients on their conditions, and monitor progress. Care coordinator jobs are common in hospitals, insurance companies, and care organizations. 

What does a care coordinator do? Duties and responsibilities

Care coordinator job descriptions vary slightly depending on the employer, organization, and types of patients they work with. Still, in general, you will be responsible for the following as a care coordinator:

• Consulting with patients on their health conditions and current treatment

• Educating patients on their conditions and discussing medication and treatment options

• Working with other health care professionals to devise a care plan for each patient 

• Monitoring and evaluating patient progress

• Advocating on behalf of patients

• Collaborating on any necessary interventions 

• Complying with health care regulations and ensuring patient confidentiality 

Where can a care coordinator work? 

Care coordinators work in various settings, including doctors' offices, hospitals, medical facilities, insurance companies, and non-profits such as community programs and rehabilitation.

Those who work for larger institutions support patients through advocacy, ensuring their needs are met by helping schedule appointments, supporting patients with medical documents and insurance claims, and ensuring they understand the treatment they need. 

Care coordinators who work for community programs are more likely to have responsibility for a caseload of clients with varying needs, including the elderly or people with disabilities. Part of a carer coordinator's job description, in this instance, is to help with transportation, payment plans, and anything that might stop patients from getting access to the care they need.

Skills and qualifications of a care coordinator   

Aside from gaining on-the-job skills through experience, a care coordinator needs a certain skill base to be the right person for the job. The technical and workplace skills you'll need include the following:

Technical skills

• Computer skills, including Microsoft Office

• Using databases specific to an organization to manage patient data 

• Ability to translate complex information in a way that patients can understand

Workplace skills

• Excellent communicator

• Empathy, compassion, and patience 

• Ability to lead groups of professionals

• Skilled at coordinating and organizing 

• Multitasking

Educational requirements to work as a care coordinator

You need a bachelor's degree and experience to work as a care coordinator. However, you won’t find a single set route or specific certifications to reach your goals, although you can choose from many that can be beneficial. 

Degree 

A bachelor’s degree is necessary to work as a care coordinator, but no accredited courses exist that you must take as long as your degree is in a relevant field. Many choose majors in business, communications, social work, or a medical field such as health care administration, medical management, public health, health science, or nursing. As well as choosing a relevant major, make sure your minors align with your career choice to give added value. 

Experience 

Experience is critical to entering into this profession, so it is a good idea to consider an internship or placement as part of your degree or in a voluntary capacity. It’s common for people to work their way up to a care coordinator position by starting in entry-level care roles such as a medical clerk or health care information technician. Others move into the role after working as registered nurses or in similar positions. 

To succeed in the role of care coordinator, it’s essential that you know the care system you’re working in. That makes it possible to navigate and coordinate treatment while knowing where to make changes and developing an understanding of the roles of the professionals you work with. 

Local licensure 

Generally, you do not need a license to work as a care coordinator; however, exceptions may exist. 

Having a license is required in by all states to work in nursing homes, and some states require a social worker license. Do your research to make sure you have all you need for the area you’re working. 

Optional certifications

In addition to a degree, it’s common for care coordinators to advance onto master’s programs in a relevant field, such as public health. In addition to this, you can explore several certification routes. 

The Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM) offers certification in medical management. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers certification in health information management. More specific options are also available, such as a certified nursing home administrator certification offered by the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA). 

In addition to these certifications, keep up with continued education to increase your chances of advancing in your career.

How much do care coordinators make?

According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for care coordinators in the US is $49,544 per year [1]. This figure includes an average base salary of $46,526 and $3,018 in additional pay. Additional pay may represent profit-sharing, commissions, or bonuses.

Career outlook for care coordinators 

The career outlook for care coordinators is good. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the industry to grow at a rate of 29 percent between 2023 and 2033, which is much higher than average [2]. 

Regarding career progression, working as a care coordinator can be a stepping stone to more senior leadership and administrative roles. This could be a care manager position, something more specialized such as a patient care coordinator, a nurse case manager, or a step up to top levels as an executive of a care organization. Typically these higher levels require a master’s degree and years of experience.

Begin your health care coordinator learning journey on Coursera 

If you’re interested in a care coordinator role and starting at the beginning, consider taking an online Introduction to Healthcare course offered by Stanford University on Coursera. You could also go a bit deeper with a Value-Based Care Specialization offered by the University of Houston.