Healthcare Career Options for Medical Front Desk Receptionists

Are you wondering what healthcare career options workers with experience as medical front receptionists have? 

A medical front desk receptionist’s responsibility is to organize and schedule appointments, maintain patient records, and manage inventory for non-medical supplies. Medical front desk receptionists work under pressure, stay organized, and have strong customer service skills to communicate medical staff and patient needs.  With their adaptable skills and training, medical front desk receptionists can transfer their experiences to other healthcare positions. 

Whether you’re a new or experienced medical front desk receptionist looking at your future career options or a former medical front desk receptionist searching for new opportunities, it’s good to check out what other career options you have.

Here are some healthcare career options when you have experience as a medical front desk receptionist.

Medical Billing and Coding Specialists

A medical billing and coding specialist helps healthcare facilities manage insurance claims and payments. They are the go-between for the facility and the insurance company.  Specialist document and record patient diagnosis and treatment, sending invoice and claims payments, track expenses by connecting with patient insurance providers.  

Why is this an excellent healthcare career option for medical front desk receptionists?

Medical receptionists often seek additional credentials and certifications while working, and most focus on healthcare terminology, billing, and coding.

•  Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS)
• CCS for coding and Certified Professional Coder (CPC) to understand the basics of medical documentation
• Certified Medical Administrative Specialist  (CMAS) to understand insurance practices, information technology, and management

  Medical front desk receptionists can transfer their interpersonal communication skills to connect with insurance companies, use their billing and coding training to code patient documents, and review and update patient information.

Note: Interested in becoming a specialist but unsure if you’d like to work as a biller or a coder? Check out the difference between medical billing and coding; include salary information and resources.  

Patient Financial Counselor

A patient financial counselor helps patients with their medical financial needs by providing cost estimates. Counselors work before and after patient admissions to the clinic, offering advice and assistance regarding bills, plans. They mediate between insurance companies and patients while helping both coordinate payment options and answer questions. 

How financial counselors help patients?

• Educate patients on their financial payment options, i.e., Medicaid
• Assist with financial applications
• Establishing health insurance benefits and requirements by connecting with insurance companies and using eligibility systems
• Verifying and securing patient information, i.e., liability information

For medical front desk receptionists interested in financial assistance, mediation, and assisting patients with healthcare/insurance-focused processes, a career as a patient financial counselor may be for you.  

Note: Financial patient counselors must have a high school degree, knowledge of medical terminology, billing and coding, and customer service experience.

 Occupational Therapist Aide

Are you a medical receptionist interested in helping Occupational Therapists provide rehabilitative services to people with mental, physical, or emotional impairments?  As an aide, you help prepare materials, treatment equipment, and perform administrative tasks.

Role and Responsibilities

•  Setting up therapy equipment
• Transporting patients to a room
• Taking inventory of equipment and materials
• Performing administrative duties: calls, email, filling, record keeping
• Helping patients with billing and insurance forms

Additional information

• This position requires a high school degree, on-the-job training, and willingness to work with mental, physical, and emotionally impaired patients.
• $26,561 and $32,304,  salary depends on location and experience
• An occupational therapy aide does not provide direct patient care, help facilitate treatment by providing support to patients.

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians and receptionists have many job commonalities, from transcribing physicians’ notes to assisting patients with payment and communicating with physicians and medical staff on patient health and safety procedures. Both are certified in Electronic Health Records Specialist, trained on health records, management and have experience securing patient data and insurance. 

As a pharmacy technician, you must understand medical terminology, finding, and filing medical information. Under the supervision of a pharmacist, pharmacy technicians assemble prescriptions while managing areas of medicines supply such as dispensaries.

Note: Pharmacy Technicians work in hospitals, pharmaceutical sales companies and organizations, prisons, schools, and veterinary pharmacy.

Check out how to become a pharmacy technician and the license requirements for each state.

Healthcare Human Resource Coordinator

A human resource coordinator assists members of their facility in the human resource department. They assist managers with recruitment, maintain employee records, assist with payroll, and benefits enrollment. The coordinators help implement new hire and staff training and assist in employee relations, i.e., managing departmental and patient conflict issues. They also work to ensure patient safety with the assistance of the human resource supervisor and managers. 

Role and Responsibilities

• Assist with the recruitment process by identifying candidates, performing reference checks, and issuing employment contracts
• Assist with all internal and external HR related inquiries or requests
• Maintain both hard and digital copies of employees’ records
• Assist with performance management procedures
• Schedule meetings, interviews, and HR events
• Coordinate training sessions and seminars
• Keep up to date with healthcare trends

Like medical front desk receptionists, healthcare human resource coordinators work with patients and medical staff on benefits enrollment processes, onboard patients, and ensure payment reimbursement for staff, patients, or insurance companies.   

Note: Healthcare human resource coordinators use various healthcare recruitment systems when onboarding or training.

Healthcare Practice Manager

What’s a practice manager, and how can your experience as a medical front desk receptionist prepare you for this position?

Practice managers are administrators in charge of practices, hospital departments, clinics, or medical offices. They staff and supervise workers, i.e., receptionists and medical billers while recommending lower overheads and improving their facility’s efficiency. Like medical front desk receptionists, practice managers schedule, ensure compliance with regulations, and manage patient information. 

Additional Information

Depending on the practice’s size, having experience as medical office staff and certifications, i.e., Coding, Certified Medical Practice Executive credential, and Office Management. Some larger medical practices require a bachelor’s or masters in Healthcare Administration.

Conclusion

There are many healthcare career options for workers with medical front desk receptionist experiences. As a medical front desk receptionist, you can connect with medical staff, insurance agencies, and patients. With your certifications, you can work in positions focused on billing, customer service, patient care, adjust to new recruitment systems, and supervise other staff members. Your skills and experience can help you to adapt to any healthcare positions. 

We hope this list was helpful. Were there any healthcare career options that surprised you? Let us know in the comment section below.

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