Patient Representatives
Assist patients in obtaining services, understanding policies and making health care decisions.
Also called: Access Representative (Access Rep), Admissions Coordinator, Admitting Clerk, Admitting Representative (Admitting Rep), BCPA (Board Certified Patient Advocate), Care Navigator
Median pay
$50,290
Pay for the broader BLS group “Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$38,180 – $85,270
People employed
182,610
Whole BLS group
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Patient Representatives pay by state
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other”.
What patient representatives do
- 01Coordinate communication between patients, family members, medical staff, administrative staff, or regulatory agencies.
- 02Interview patients or their representatives to identify problems relating to care.
- 03Maintain knowledge of community services and resources available to patients.
- 04Refer patients to appropriate health care services or resources.
- 05Explain policies, procedures, or services to patients using medical or administrative knowledge.
- 06Read current literature, talk with colleagues, continue education, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the field.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Therapy and Counseling
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from patient representatives
- Community Health Workers90% · —
- Social and Human Service Assistants89% · —
- Health Education Specialists84% · —
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers81% · —
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs80% · —
Change into patient representatives
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Community Health Workers89% · $51,850
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan85% · $45,920
- Social and Human Service Assistants85% · $45,930
- Residential Advisors83% · $42,240
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs80% · $54,210
Majors that lead here
- Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant
- Radiologist Assistant
- Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist
- Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
- Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
- Gene/Genetic Therapy
- Cardiopulmonary Technology/Technologist
- Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician
- Polysomnography
- Hyperbaric Medicine Technology/Technician
- Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Technology/Technician
- Orthopedic Technology/Technician
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.