General Duties:

Some duties include scheduling appointments, making reminder calls, verifying insurance coverage, collecting co-payments, update patients about delays and wait times, assisting patients in filling out consent forms and payment contract forms.

What environment(s) and/or settings is this profession employed?

Patient service representatives can use their skills in dentist offices, clinics, hospitals, and optometrist offices.

What are the skills/qualities needed to be successful in this field?

Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, and communication are skills necessary for success in this field.

What is the employment outlook? 

Employment outlook is an annual projected growth of 1.03%

What is the average salary/earnings for this profession? What is the average indebtedness of professionals entering the field? 

The average salary is 36,000 annually

Other healthcare professionals someone in this career may interact and/or collaborate with:

Doctors, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and medical assistants

What kind of educational training/qualifications does entry into this career require? 

This career only requires a high school diploma but some private practices might require Patient Services Representative certification.

Professional Interview

Sama Zafar, Patient Services Representative, San Clemente, CA.

How did they become interested in this field?

Sama became interested in this field because she was always fascinated with patient care. She worked at many health clinics in college that specifically aided underrepresented minorities such as the Sikh community. She thought she wanted to be a doctor but realized that the lifestyle wasn’t for her. Upon her graduation from undergrad (B.S in psychobiology from U.C Davis) she decided to get certified as a Patient Services Representative.

What do they like about what they do?

She loves interacting with patients and that’s her favorite part of her job,

How do they think their field will change in the next 10 years?

She thinks in there will be a higher need for Patient Service Representatives. She also thinks the work will be more digitally focused.

What is their advice for those interested in this career?

Her advice for those interested is to get certified.