If you’re looking for a job in healthcare, but aren’t sure what type of career path to take, consider becoming a care coordinator. A care coordinator is a very important position in the medical field that helps patients and doctors coordinate their treatment plans.
If you want to work with people who are sick or injured, this is probably the best option for you! In this article, we’ll cover everything from how much money you can make as a care coordinator to which schools offer programs like this one.
We’ll also discuss what skillset makes someone good at their job and why it’s so important to have these skills if they want to succeed in the field.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Understand the role of a care coordinator |
| Develop strong communication and interpersonal skills |
| Acquire knowledge of healthcare systems and procedures |
| Demonstrate empathy and compassion towards patients |
| Learn to effectively coordinate care plans and schedules |
| Gain experience in handling medical records and documentation |
| Stay updated with relevant regulations and guidelines |
| Build a network of healthcare professionals |
| Pursue relevant certifications and continuing education opportunities |
| Showcase your organizational and problem-solving abilities |
Find Schools
To find schools, start by searching online. The best place to do this is the National Association of Social Workers website. On their homepage, click on “Find a Social Worker” and type in your zip code.
In the search engine box that appears next, type in the name of your city and state. Once you have done that, scroll down until you see a list of social work programs located near you.
If there are no schools listed near you on this page, scroll down further until you reach another section entitled “Schools by State” where there will be an alphabetical list of all states with social work programs listed for each one (as well as links to those states’ websites).
Click on any state whose name begins with “A” or “B.” If there are no schools listed within these pages either, move onto C; if still nothing comes up then D; etc., until finally, an entry pops up (don’t forget about checking out Hawaii!).
Once you have found some options for schools in your area, it’s time to check whether or not these institutions meet certain criteria necessary for licensure as well as accreditation from national organizations such as NASW itself.
But before doing so let’s talk briefly about what exactly makes one school better than another when considering where one might want their career path to lead them!
Being a care coordinator is about compassionately guiding individuals through their healthcare journey. Our guide on becoming a care coordinator will help you understand the skills and steps needed to excel in this rewarding role.
What Is A Care Coordinator?
A care coordinator is a health care professional who helps coordinate the care of a patient or patient’s family. They work with patients, families, and health care providers to ensure that the patient’s needs are met.
Care coordinators determine what services and treatments are needed by each patient and then coordinate these services in a way that ensures quality health care outcomes while working within available resources.
What Does A Care Coordinator Do?
A care coordinator is a healthcare professional who coordinates and supervises patient care. They write, implement and monitor care plans for patients in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Care coordinators also coordinate the care of patients with other healthcare professionals so that they are receiving the best possible treatment available.
Care coordinators work with patients and their family members to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what’s going on with their loved one’s health and what needs to be done next.
A Healthcare Administration Program Overview
A healthcare administration program is a specialized degree that allows you to work in the healthcare industry.
This page will teach you about the requirements for a healthcare administration degree, what degrees are available, and what specialties are offered by some of the most popular programs.
After reading this guide, you’ll be able to figure out if a healthcare administration program is right for you.
What’s The Job Outlook Like For Care Coordinators?
With a growing population and the increasing number of people with chronic illnesses, there will be a high demand for care coordinators.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in this field will grow by 10% between now and 2026, which is much faster than average.
So what does this mean for you? It means if you’re looking to become a care coordinator, now may be the perfect time to do so!
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How Much Do Care Coordinators Earn?
If you want to land your dream job as a care coordinator, it’s important to know what you’re getting into. Care coordinators are typically paid by the hour and make between $40,000 – $50,000 per year.
This can vary depending on the size of the facility and your experience level in the field. Some care coordinators make more than $50,000 per year!
Care coordinators are paid by the hour which means that they’re often working long hours and weekends as well!
Steps To Becoming A Care Coordinator
Find Schools
You can find schools across the country that offer healthcare administration programs.
The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a good place to start your search, as it offers a comprehensive list of accredited colleges and universities offering healthcare administration programs.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s time to check out each school’s website so you can learn more about their program offerings and prerequisites.
What Is A Care Coordinator?
Care coordinators help patients with their health care needs by coordinating their care between different providers involved in their treatment plans.
They also manage patient records, assist patients with the hospital discharge process, develop budgets for specific treatments, conduct research related to health care policy issues, and more!
To become one yourself requires specialized education at the bachelor’s or master’s level (or beyond).
The field has been growing rapidly since 1999 due to increased demand from hospitals as well as aging populations across all demographics; according to U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projections through 2022 there will be an expected 18 percent increase in employment opportunities for this occupation overall (which translates into about 15 million more jobs nationwide).
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Step 1a: High School Diploma Or GED
You’ll need to show that you have a high school diploma or GED certificate. You can get your GED by taking the General Educational Development (GED) test, which is a series of five tests:
Reasoning through Language Arts and Writing, Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Reasoning through Language Arts and Reading the last two being optional.
The test consists of four sections: reading comprehension; writing; mathematics; science; social studies.
For students who are interested in learning more about the GED program or registering for the test visit gedtestingservices.com/ged-practice-tests or download our free app from iTunes or Google Play store today!
Step 1b: Associate Degree In Health Science Or Related Field
This is the second of six steps to getting your dream job as a care coordinator. The first step was to do research and figure out what kind of job you want, and now we’re moving on to identifying which degree program will help you achieve that goal.
If you have already identified a career path in health science, then it may be easier for you to select an associate degree program that includes this field as part of its curriculum.
If not, we encourage you to consider pursuing one anyway! An associate degree can provide broad-based knowledge about various subjects in healthcare, including pharmacology or patient management techniques. Some examples include:
- Associate Degree for Nursing Assistants (ADNA)
- Medical Assistant Associate Degree programs
- Dental Assisting Associates Degree programs
Step 2a: Bachelor’s Degree In Health Science Or Related Field (Optional)
You may have a Bachelor’s degree in health science or a related field; if you do, your application will be stronger because you can demonstrate that you already have an understanding of the healthcare industry.
If your school is not accredited by a recognized accrediting body (like the Middle States Commission on Higher Education), check to make sure it has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education as a “school eligible to participate in federal student aid programs.”
Step 2B: Certification Option (Optional)
Certification can be a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. Some employers may require certification. If you are interested in becoming certified, several organizations offer these types of credentials.
Certifications can usually be obtained through an exam, but some certifications also require experience and other qualifications.
Certification will help you stand out from other candidates because it shows potential employers that you have the knowledge they want in their employees.
It’s kind of like being bilingual you’re more valuable because of this skill! Certification is also a good way to get a foot in the door at companies with high requirements for staff members’ education or professional backgrounds
Step 3A: Entry-Level Work Experience (Optional)
If you can’t or don’t want to get a job in your desired field, it’s not the end of the world. If you’re serious about working with seniors and want to do so as quickly as possible, look for entry-level positions at a local nursing home or assisted living facility.
Volunteer at an assisted living facility. Volunteering is one of the best ways to gain valuable hands-on experience with seniors. It’s also a great way to network with other care coordinators and get references for future employment opportunities.
Volunteer with older adults who have special needs (such as physical disabilities). If you have time and energy on your side, volunteer activities are generally easier than getting paid ones because they don’t require any training or certification or even any prior experience!
These types of positions are especially important if you’ll be working primarily with senior citizens who have special needs: they provide valuable insight into how their conditions affect their day-to-day lives and what kind of support they might need from others around them.[1]
Step 3B: Advanced Work Experience (Optional)
If you’re not sure how to obtain the experience needed for a care coordinator position, don’t stress. While it’s not required that you have previous work experience as a care coordinator, you must have experience in some aspects of health care administration or patient care.
For example, if you’ve worked in retail for years and are looking to transition into healthcare management, then consider getting an associate’s degree in healthcare administration at an accredited college or university.
You can also look into certificate programs offered by hospitals and universities.
The following skills are essential when applying for positions as a care coordinator:
- Understanding of medical terminology (for non-nurses)
- Ability to communicate effectively with patients and staff members
- Attention to detail
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Step 4a: Master’s Degree In Health Science Or Related Field (Optional)
A Master’s degree in health science or a related field is ideal, but not always necessary. Master’s degree programs are available online and in person.
Online programs allow students to work while they study, though they typically require more effort than traditional on-campus classes.
In addition to traditional programs that require classroom attendance, some universities offer online or hybrid (partially online) degrees in healthcare administration, healthcare management, and nursing administration.
These programs can be completed in as little as two years with full-time study.
Step 4B: Licensure Option (Optional)
If you’re a healthcare professional and want to work as a Care Coordinator, you’ll probably need to be licensed to practice. Licensure is required in some states, but not all and it’s not required for all settings or job titles.
For example, one state may allow a particular position title (such as ‘Care Coordinator’) without requiring licensure; while another state may require licensure for that same position title.
Similarly, some states might require this license only if the applicant works with vulnerable populations (elderly people living at home who are dependent on others) or has access to medications;
While other states might require this license regardless of what population they serve and whether they administer medications.
Care Coordinator Skills & Competencies
Technical skills: knowledge of the healthcare industry; ability to perform computer tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations; understanding of medical terminology and procedures.
Interpersonal skills: good communication with patients, family members, partners, and other staff members; ability to work in a team environment; ability to retain information for future reference (memory).
Soft skills: emotional intelligence (being able to identify emotions in oneself), empathy (the ability to understand and share feelings with others), and honesty (openness about feelings without denying them).
Technical Skills For Care Coordinators
Technical skills are a must for care coordinators. The more technical skills you have, the better positioned you will be to land your dream job. Here are some of the most in-demand technical skills for care coordinators:
- Computer Skills (Microsoft Office, Excel & Access)
- Data Entry
- Data Analysis & Processing
- Data Security & Storage + Retrieval via SQL Server, MySQL, or similar database management systems
Cognitive Skills For Care Coordinators
Ability to Think Logically and Solve Problems. A care coordinator’s job requires that they be able to think logically, solve problems, and make decisions. You should have the ability to do this in a fast-paced environment with minimal guidance or supervision from others.
Ability to Think Critically. Your ability to think critically is important because you will need it when making decisions about patients and their care plans as well as when making recommendations for treatment options based on your assessments of patients’ needs.
For example, if a patient has multiple health conditions that require specialized treatment plans, you will need strong critical thinking skills to assess each condition independently.
While also considering how they relate together so that an appropriate plan can be made for each one individually (and then collectively).
Ability to Think Abstractly/Creatively/Strategically. Care coordinators must not only be able to analyze situations from different perspectives but also come up with different solutions for challenging situations without any guidance from others around them (e.g., doctors).
This means that they must be able to form creative ideas when presented with new problems so that they know how best to handle them without having someone else tell them what steps should be taken first they need creativity!
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Interpersonal/Soft Skills For Care Coordinators
Listen. It’s important to be able to listen and communicate effectively with people who are facing difficult circumstances. You’ll need to understand what they’re experiencing, and how they see the world.
Work with others well. As a care coordinator, you will be working in teams or on your own at times. Your ability to work productively with others will help ensure that the job gets done efficiently, which is always important when time is scarce!
Solve problems creatively – Having good problem-solving skills is critical for any caregiver because there are always new challenges that need solving each day! That said, it can be difficult for those who aren’t used to this kind of thinking (including me).
Here’s how I recommend going about solving problems: identify which solution would solve multiple issues at once rather than just one issue;
Prioritize issues based on severity/importance; create solutions using both logic AND intuition (I know some people don’t like using intuition but trust me here).
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a career that will challenge you and reward you, being a care coordinator might be the right fit.
You’ll need to be patient and compassionate as well as organized and detail-oriented. But once you get into the groove of managing all your client’s needs, it can be incredibly rewarding.
Further Reading
How to Land Your Dream Job: Discover effective strategies and practical tips to increase your chances of securing your dream job.
5 Ways to Land Your Dream Job: Advice from Recruiters: Learn valuable insights and advice from recruiters on how to stand out and successfully land your dream job.
How to Land Your Dream Job: Explore a comprehensive guide that provides actionable steps and useful tips to help you land your dream job.
Now, let’s move on to the “FAQs” section:
FAQs
How can I improve my chances of landing my dream job?
Enhance your chances of landing your dream job by focusing on the following key aspects:
What skills are employers looking for in dream job candidates?
Employers often seek candidates with a combination of technical skills, soft skills, and relevant experience. Some commonly sought-after skills include:
Should I tailor my resume and cover letter for each dream job application?
Yes, tailoring your resume and cover letter to match the requirements of each specific dream job can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed by employers.
How important is networking in landing a dream job?
Networking plays a vital role in finding job opportunities and gaining industry insights. Building professional connections can open doors to hidden job markets and valuable recommendations.
How can I prepare for dream job interviews?
To prepare for dream job interviews, research the company thoroughly, practice common interview questions, and be ready to showcase your skills and experiences that align with the job requirements.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.