Patient Care Coordinator

A Patient Care Coordinator is employed in outpatient facilities such as a doctor’s office or specialty clinic. Serving as a patient advocate, they perform a wide variety of functions including monitoring and coordinating patient treatment plans, ensuring complete and accurate documentation and registration, coordinating continuity of care between services and insurance companies, discuss, consult, and coordinate the needs of patients and family members, and facilitate the education of patients and family members about health conditions, medications, and instructions. This31 unit certificate of achievement is designed to offer students the skills and knowledge necessary for entry-level employment in outpatient healthcare settings.

Program requirements:

The goals and objectives of the certificate are to provide students with foundational knowledge for employability in outpatient allied health professions with qualified individuals that possess high communication and organizational skills,familiarity with disease processes and treatment protocols, strong customer service skills, and knowledge to navigate medical insurance plans and billing and coding. The program is designed to offer completers the opportunity to fill employment gaps in the healthcare industry.

Student and program learning outcomes:

Upon completion of the program students will have skills necessary to obtain entry-level employment in a variety of out patient medical office settings. Students will obtain fundamental knowledge and training in HIPAA compliance procedures, basic computer competencies, medical office procedures, medical terminology, basic anatomy, electronic health record input and maintenance, public health awareness, and billing and coding practices used in hospitals, medical offices, and clinics.

Certificate Justification and Need:

In coordination with and guidance from the WDC Regional Health Sector Advisory, The San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego Regional EDC, the Patient Care Coordinator (PCC) position has been identified as an emerging occupation. The WDC Health Sector advisory noted that PCC projected income exceeds living wage earnings with job postings in San Diego County increasing over 346% in the last ten years. PCC’s can be listed under a variety of different occupational titles,such as Medical and Health Services Managers (40% employment change in SD County), but all require the same skill characteristics and educational requirements. Additional recommendation provided by the Center of Excellence (COE) in their sector recommendation report indicating supply gaps in healthcare including Patient Care Coordinators.