Care Coordinator Salary, Job Description, and Career Outlook

A care coordinator is a healthcare professional responsible for managing patient care by monitoring treatment plans, educating patients on their conditions, and connecting them to relevant healthcare providers. If you’re considering a career in healthcare and have a flair for leadership, an excellent ability to communicate with others to translate information in a way they can understand, and 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 job description  

A care coordinator takes a leadership role when it comes to managing and monitoring the care of patients. They are responsible for coordinating each patient's care, which may come from multiple providers, and ensuring effective treatment plans. They 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 organisations. 

What does a care coordinator do? Duties and responsibilities

Care coordinator job descriptions vary slightly depending on the employer, organisation, 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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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 on community projects are more likely to be responsible for a caseload of clients with varying needs, including the elderly or people with disabilities. In this instance, part of a care coordinator's job description is to help with transportation, payment plans, and anything else that might prevent 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 specific 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 organisation to manage patient data 

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

Personal skills

• Excellent communicator

• Empathy, compassion, and patience 

• Ability to lead groups of professionals

• Skilled at coordinating and organising 

• Multitasking

Educational requirements to work as a care coordinator

You need a degree and experience to work as a care coordinator. However, there is no set route or specific certifications, although you can choose from many beneficial ones. 

Degree 

A bachelor’s degree is necessary to work as a care coordinator. Still, there are no accredited courses you must take, as long as your degree is in a relevant field such as social work, medicine, healthcare administration, or business administration.

Experience 

Employers typically value experience in this profession, so it is worth considering 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 care assistant or financial clerk. Others must have specific experience, such as working with an NHS Trust or in a care home.

To succeed in the role of care coordinator, it’s essential that you know the care system you’re working in. That makes navigating and coordinating treatment possible while knowing where changes can be made and understanding the roles of the professionals you work with. 

Optional certifications

In addition to a degree, some care coordinators may advance to master’s programs in a relevant field if they seek career development beyond the role. In addition to this, you can explore several certification routes. 

The NHS often asks candidates to have completed a Personalised Care Institute (PCI) accredited care coordination course. You may also consider programs run by e-learning for healthcare (elfh).

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

How much can you earn as a care coordinator?

A care coordinator's salary is £22,466 on average, increasing to as high as £27,000 with experience and a higher level of education, according to Glassdoor [1].

CareCareer outlook for care coordinators 

The career outlook for the care sector is good, but many vacancies need to be filled. This is largely a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic when the industry was hit hard, and care professionals were stressed. 

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 specialised such as a patient care coordinator or a nurse case manager, or a step up to top levels as an executive of a care organisation. Typically, these higher levels require a master’s degree and years of experience.

Next steps 

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 deeper with a Value-Based Care Specialisation from the University of Houston.