Free clinical coordinator job description templates: general, small practice, operations, care, senior, and program, with HIPAA, EHR, and FLSA built in.
6 free templates by setting: general, small practice, operations, care, senior, and program, with the HIPAA confidentiality language, EHR and license fields, and FLSA exempt-vs-non-exempt note the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A clinical coordinator manages the day-to-day clinical operations and patient flow of a practice, clinic, or agency: coordinating scheduling, supporting providers, maintaining records, and keeping the organization HIPAA-compliant. The title is really a cluster of related roles that pay very differently and split on one question generic templates ignore: whether the role requires a nurse, which determines both the pay and the overtime classification.
These six templates cover the role across settings: a general version, the small medical practice or clinic version, clinical operations, clinical care, senior, and program coordinator. Each is ready to use, with HIPAA confidentiality language, EHR and license fields, and the FLSA note built in. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion, and FirstHR helps run the onboarding once you hire.
TL;DR
A clinical coordinator manages clinical operations and patient flow: scheduling, team support, records, and HIPAA compliance. The title spans several roles that split on the license: an RN-based coordinator is often exempt and higher-paid, while an LPN-based or administrative coordinator is usually non-exempt. Pay ranges roughly $50,000 to $73,000 for non-RN roles and higher for RN or hospital versions. Download six free templates as DOCX, by setting, with HIPAA, EHR, and FLSA guidance built in.
What a Clinical Coordinator Does
A clinical coordinator keeps the clinical side of a healthcare organization running: coordinating patient and provider scheduling, supporting the clinical team, maintaining records in the EHR, ensuring HIPAA compliance, and acting as a link between providers, staff, and patients. The exact mix depends on the setting more than almost any other healthcare title.
There is no single federal occupation code for clinical coordinator; it is a job title that blends elements of medical and health services managers (SOC 11-9111), registered nurses, and medical administrative support, depending on scope. The O*NET profile for the management occupation lists related tasks. Because the title aggregates several distinct roles, the templates on this page come in several versions.
Clinical Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical coordinator duties cluster into four areas: operations and scheduling, patient and care, records and EHR, and compliance and quality. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your setting, rather than listing every possible task.
Operations and scheduling
Coordinate daily clinical operations
Schedule patients, providers, and resources
Track supplies, equipment, and workflows
Patient and care
Manage patient flow and intake
Coordinate referrals and care transitions
Communicate with patients and families
Records and EHR
Maintain records in the EHR
Support documentation and data accuracy
Track outcomes and reporting
Compliance and quality
Ensure HIPAA compliance and confidentiality
Support quality and accreditation efforts
Follow facility and clinical policies
The balance shifts by version: an operations coordinator leans into workflows and data, a care coordinator into patient care plans, and a small-practice coordinator does a bit of everything. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Clinical Coordinator vs Related Roles
The clinical coordinator title overlaps with several others, and naming the right one is the first decision before posting, because each sits at a different point in the patient journey and pay band.
Clinical coordinator vs care coordinator vs patient navigator
These titles overlap and get used loosely, but they sit at different points in the patient journey. A clinical coordinator manages day-to-day clinical operations and patient flow, a broad operations-and-logistics role. A care coordinator is narrower, focused on coordinating a patient's care plan, referrals, and transitions across providers, closer to light case management. A patient navigator works at the front end of access, helping patients get into and through the system, and is often a non-clinical or lay role. If the job is keeping the clinic running, it is a clinical coordinator; if it is shepherding patients through their care, it is a care coordinator or navigator. Match the title to the actual scope so the posting attracts the right candidates.
Clinical coordinator vs medical office manager vs clinical or nurse manager
At a small practice these blur, and one person may do all three. A medical office manager runs the business and administrative side of a practice, scheduling, billing, front office, and staff, while a clinical coordinator focuses on the clinical operations and patient flow. The two roles are the closest analogs and frequently combine in a small office. A clinical manager or nurse manager is a step up and is typically RN-based and supervisory, managing clinical staff and outcomes rather than coordinating logistics. A charge nurse is a shift-level RN lead. The reporting line and whether the role requires an RN are the clearest signals of which title you actually need.
When the role is hospital-scale versus small-practice-scale
The clinical coordinator title spans two very different worlds. Hospital and health-system roles tend to require an RN, are department-specific, run on Epic or Cerner, carry Joint Commission and higher pay, and are hired through a dedicated HR and clinical-operations function. Small-practice and clinic roles are broader office-manager hybrids, run on ambulatory EHRs, pay less, and are hired directly by the owner or office manager with no HR department. The templates on this page lead with the small-practice version for that reason. If your setting is a hospital department, expect to require an RN and pay toward the higher end; if it is a small clinic, a broader, often non-RN coordinator usually fits, and the small-practice template is the right starting point.
If the role you are filling is really running the business side of a practice, the medical office manager template may fit better, and if it leans toward managing a patient caseload, the case manager template is the closer match. Match the title to the actual scope.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting and scope. The core structure is the same across all six, but each one emphasizes the duties, license expectations, and classification that fit a specific kind of role. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
General
Any clinical setting
The flexible baseline: coordinate clinical operations and patient flow, support the team, and maintain records and compliance. Adapt it to your setting.
Small Practice / Clinic
5-20 employees
The white-space version no competitor offers: a many-hats coordinator for a small practice, with HIPAA, EHR, and license fields built in. The closest fit for a small employer.
Clinical Operations
Process-focused
For an operations-leaning role: workflows, scheduling, data, and metrics rather than direct patient care. Usually non-clinical and non-exempt.
Clinical Care
Care coordination
For patient-facing care coordination: care plans, referrals, transitions, and patient education. Often filled by a nurse or experienced clinical staff.
Senior
Lead, mentoring
For an experienced coordinator who leads operations, mentors junior coordinators, and serves as a senior clinical-operations contact.
Clinical Program
Service line / program
For coordinating a specific program or service line: program operations, data, reporting, and compliance for a defined clinical area.
Match the Template to the Setting
A small physician, dental, or specialty practice: Small Practice / Clinic, the closest fit for a small employer. A process and data role: Clinical Operations. Patient-facing care coordination: Clinical Care. An experienced lead over other coordinators: Senior. A specific program or service line: Clinical Program. Not sure or a general setting: start with the General version and adapt. Whichever you choose, decide whether the role requires a clinical license.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: organization and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications with license and EHR fields, a HIPAA or classification note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, small practice, operations, care, senior, and program. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Clinical Coordinator (General)
The flexible baseline: coordinate clinical operations and patient flow, support the team, and maintain records and compliance. Adapt it to your setting.
Clinical Coordinator Job Description (General)
CLINICAL COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION (GENERAL)
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Practice Manager / Clinical Director / Owner)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm by duties and salary (often non-exempt; RN-based may be exempt)
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
ABOUT [ORGANIZATION NAME]
[One or two sentences about your practice, clinic, or agency, the patients you
serve, and the clinical team this coordinator will support. Note the schedule
and any on-site requirement.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Clinical Coordinator to manage day-to-day
clinical operations and patient flow. You will coordinate scheduling, support
the clinical team, maintain records and compliance, and serve as a link between
providers, staff, and patients. This is a hands-on role that keeps the clinical
side of the organization running smoothly.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Coordinate daily clinical operations and patient flow
•Schedule patients, providers, and clinical resources
•Support providers and clinical staff day to day
•Maintain accurate clinical records in the EHR
•Ensure compliance with HIPAA and facility policies
•Track supplies, equipment, and clinical workflows
•Communicate between providers, staff, and patients
•Support quality, safety, and documentation standards
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[Associate's / bachelor's] degree or equivalent experience
•Clinical or healthcare administrative experience preferred
•License or certification as required by scope: [ ] RN [ ] LPN [ ] MA [ ] none
•Strong organization, communication, and attention to detail
•Knowledge of HIPAA and clinical compliance
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
Benefits: __ (PTO, health, CE / license support)
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Clinical Coordinator (Small Medical Practice / Clinic)
The white-space version no competitor offers: a many-hats coordinator for a small practice, with HIPAA, EHR, and license fields built in. The closest fit for a small employer.
Clinical Coordinator Job Description (Small Medical Practice / Clinic)
CLINICAL COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL MEDICAL PRACTICE / CLINIC)
For an operations-leaning role: workflows, scheduling, data, and metrics rather than direct patient care. Usually non-clinical and non-exempt.
Clinical Operations Coordinator Job Description
CLINICAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Clinical Operations Manager / Director)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm by duties and salary
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Clinical Operations Coordinator to support and
improve the operational side of our clinical services. You will coordinate
workflows, scheduling, data, and resources across the clinical team, track
operational metrics, and help processes run efficiently. This role leans toward
operations and process rather than direct patient care.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Coordinate clinical workflows and operational processes
•Manage scheduling, staffing, and resource allocation
•Track operational metrics and clinical KPIs
•Maintain accurate data and documentation in the EHR
•Support compliance, quality, and accreditation efforts
•Coordinate supplies, vendors, and equipment
•Identify and support process improvements
•Communicate across clinical and administrative teams
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree or equivalent healthcare experience
•Healthcare operations or clinical coordination experience
•Strong data, scheduling, and process skills
•EHR / EMR proficiency: _______________________
•Knowledge of HIPAA and clinical compliance
•Organized, analytical, and detail-oriented
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
A clinical operations coordinator is usually a non-clinical, administrative role
and is often non-exempt unless it meets an FLSA exemption by duties and salary.
Classify by actual duties, not the title. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Clinical Care Coordinator
For patient-facing care coordination: care plans, referrals, transitions, and patient education. Often filled by a nurse or experienced clinical staff.
Clinical Care Coordinator Job Description
CLINICAL CARE COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Care Manager / Clinical Director)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: RN-based may be exempt; otherwise confirm by duties and salary
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Clinical Care Coordinator to coordinate patient
care across providers and settings. You will manage care plans, coordinate
referrals and transitions, communicate with patients and families, and help
patients navigate their care. This role focuses on care coordination and
patient outcomes, and is often filled by a nurse or experienced clinical staff.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Coordinate patient care plans across providers and settings
•Manage referrals, transitions, and follow-up care
•Communicate with patients, families, and care teams
•Educate patients on care plans and self-management
•Track outcomes and support chronic-care management
•Maintain accurate documentation in the EHR
•Ensure HIPAA compliance and patient confidentiality
•Connect patients with community and support resources
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•License as the role requires: [ ] RN [ ] LPN [ ] social worker [ ] none
•Care coordination or case management experience preferred
•BLS / CPR certification where clinically required
•Strong communication and patient-education skills
•EHR / EMR proficiency: _______________________
•Knowledge of HIPAA and care-coordination standards
CLASSIFICATION AND LICENSURE NOTE
A clinical care coordinator filled by a registered nurse may qualify for the
FLSA learned professional exemption if paid on a salary basis. An LPN or
non-clinical coordinator generally does not and is non-exempt. Verify the
required license is active and track its expiration. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [hour / year]
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
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For an experienced coordinator who leads operations, mentors junior coordinators, and serves as a senior clinical-operations contact.
Senior Clinical Coordinator Job Description
SENIOR CLINICAL COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Clinical Director / Practice Manager)
Direct reports: (coordinators, clinical support staff)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm by duties and salary
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [year]
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Senior Clinical Coordinator to lead clinical
operations and coordinate a team of clinical and support staff. Beyond
coordinating day-to-day operations, you will oversee scheduling and workflows,
mentor junior coordinators, support compliance and quality, and serve as a senior
point of contact for clinical operations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Lead and coordinate daily clinical operations
•Oversee scheduling, workflows, and resource planning
•Mentor, train, and guide coordinators and support staff
•Support compliance, quality, and accreditation efforts
•Maintain and improve clinical documentation processes
•Serve as a senior contact for providers and staff
•Track operational and quality metrics
•Help onboard and develop clinical support staff
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree or equivalent; clinical license a plus
•[3-5]+ years of clinical coordination or operations experience
•Experience guiding others and managing workflows
•Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving
•EHR / EMR proficiency: _______________________
•Knowledge of HIPAA and clinical compliance standards
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
A senior clinical coordinator may meet an FLSA exemption depending on duties and
salary, particularly if it is genuinely supervisory or RN-based. Confirm
classification by the actual duties and salary, not the title. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per year
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Clinical Program Coordinator
For coordinating a specific program or service line: program operations, data, reporting, and compliance for a defined clinical area.
Clinical Program Coordinator Job Description
CLINICAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Program Director / Clinical Director)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm by duties and salary
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per [year]
JOB SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Clinical Program Coordinator to coordinate a
specific clinical program or service line [for example a behavioral health,
oncology, cardiac, or community health program]. You will manage program
operations, scheduling, data, and compliance, support program staff and patients,
and help the program meet its goals and reporting requirements.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Coordinate operations for the clinical program or service line
•Manage program scheduling, enrollment, and workflows
•Track program data, outcomes, and reporting requirements
•Support program staff, providers, and patients
•Maintain compliance with HIPAA and program standards
•Coordinate grants, funding, or reporting if applicable
•Communicate with internal teams and external partners
•Support program quality and improvement efforts
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Bachelor's degree or equivalent healthcare experience
•Program coordination or clinical experience preferred
•Strong data, reporting, and organizational skills
•License or certification if the program requires it
•EHR / EMR proficiency: _______________________
•Knowledge of HIPAA and program compliance
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
A clinical program coordinator is often a non-clinical administrative role; its
FLSA classification depends on duties and salary. Confirm classification rather
than assuming it from the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ to $_____ per year
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
HIPAA, Licensure, EHR, and FLSA
This is the part the generic templates skip, and the part that matters most for a clinical coordinator hire: the HIPAA obligation, the license question, the EHR system, and the FLSA classification that splits on whether the role is RN-based. Get these right and your posting reads credibly and sets accurate expectations.
HIPAA: this role handles protected health information
A clinical coordinator works with patient records, scheduling, and clinical communication, which means the role handles protected health information and falls under the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Postings almost always state that duties are performed within HIPAA regulations, but the more useful step is to build HIPAA privacy and confidentiality training into onboarding and to have the new hire sign a confidentiality agreement on day one. Even a small practice is a covered entity, so the obligation does not scale down with the size of the office. Name the confidentiality expectation in the job description so candidates understand it is central to the role, not a footnote. This is general information, not legal advice.
License and certification: it depends on scope
Clinical coordinator is not inherently a licensed role; the scope decides. Some postings require or prefer an RN, often with a BSN, while others are filled by an LPN, a medical assistant, or an experienced healthcare administrator with no clinical license. Common certifications that appear in postings include a state RN or LPN license, BLS or CPR, ACLS or PALS for higher-acuity settings, and case-management or quality credentials for care-coordination roles. Decide what your role actually needs, state it clearly, and if a license is required, verify it is active and track its expiration date, since an expired license is a real compliance risk. This is general information, not legal advice.
EHR / EMR: name the system you use
Nearly every clinical coordinator role lives inside an electronic health record system, and naming yours filters for candidates who can start faster. Hospital and large-practice postings tend to require Epic or Cerner, while small-practice and ambulatory settings more often run eClinicalWorks, Athenahealth, NextGen, Practice Fusion, or similar. The templates above include an EHR fill-in field for exactly this reason. Stating the system, and whether experience with it is required or just preferred, sets accurate expectations and shortens the ramp-up for a new coordinator. This is general information, not legal advice.
FLSA: the classification depends on the license, not the title
This is the compliance point generic templates skip, and it splits on the license. Per Department of Labor guidance, registered nurses who are registered by the appropriate state board generally meet the duties test for the learned professional exemption and may be classified as exempt if paid on a salary basis of at least the federal threshold of $684 per week. Licensed practical nurses and similar staff generally do not qualify and are non-exempt, entitled to overtime, because a specialized advanced academic degree is not a standard entry requirement. A non-clinical administrative coordinator is also typically non-exempt. So an RN-based clinical coordinator is often exempt, while an LPN-based or admin coordinator usually is not. Classify by the actual duties and salary, confirm it for the specific role, and remember some states apply stricter tests. This is general information, not legal advice.
The FLSA Split Turns on the License
Per DOL Fact Sheet #17N, registered nurses generally meet the learned professional exemption and may be exempt if paid a salary of at least $684 per week, while licensed practical nurses and similar staff generally do not qualify and are non-exempt. A non-clinical coordinator is usually non-exempt too. And because the role handles protected health information, it falls under the HIPAA Rules even at a small practice.
Requirements for a clinical coordinator center on the license decision, healthcare experience, EHR proficiency, and HIPAA knowledge. Scale the bar to the setting and scope.
Requirement
What to look for
License
RN, LPN, MA, or none, set by the actual scope of the role
Education
Associate's or bachelor's, or equivalent healthcare experience
Experience
Clinical or healthcare administrative coordination experience
EHR / EMR
Epic or Cerner for hospitals; eClinicalWorks, Athenahealth, NextGen for clinics
Certifications
BLS or CPR, ACLS or PALS, or quality and case-management credentials as needed
Compliance
HIPAA knowledge and patient confidentiality
Keep the posting neutral and job-related, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Clinical Coordinator Pay
Pay varies widely because the title spans several roles. Set your range based on whether the role requires a nurse and your setting, then adjust for your local market.
No Single Code; the Role Sits Between Several (BLS)
There is no dedicated federal code for clinical coordinator. For reference, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $93,600 for registered nurses and $117,960 for medical and health services managers, while medical administrative support roles run far lower. Non-RN clinical coordinator roles commonly fall in the $50,000 to $73,000 range, with RN-based and hospital roles reaching $90,000 or more.
Administrative and patient-facing coordinator roles sit toward the lower end, while RN-based, senior, and hospital department roles run higher. Because the title blends RN and non-RN versions, benchmark to whether your role requires a nurse and to your local market rather than to a single average. National compensation surveys are a useful cross-reference for the specific sub-role and region.
Hiring a Clinical Coordinator for a Small Practice or Clinic
Small physician, dental, and specialty practices, outpatient clinics, and behavioral-health and home-health agencies hire clinical coordinators directly, usually without an HR department. Here is what actually matters, and where an HR tool helps.
At a small practice, the clinical coordinator wears many hats, and the owner hires directly
Small practices rarely have a dedicated HR or clinical-operations department, so the owner, a lead provider, or an office manager writes the posting and runs the hire between everything else. At that scale the role is broad: part clinical coordination, part office management, part patient liaison. Almost every published template is written for a generic large employer or a hospital department, not for the person actually doing the hiring at a five-to-twenty-person practice. The small-practice version of the template above is written for exactly that reality, with HIPAA, EHR, and license fields built in, so you can pick it, fill in the brackets, and post.
The HIPAA and licensure obligations are real even at a small office
A small practice is a HIPAA covered entity, so a clinical coordinator who handles patient records and scheduling must work within the HIPAA Rules, and the practice should build HIPAA privacy training and a signed confidentiality agreement into onboarding. If the role requires an RN, LPN, or MA license, the practice owes it to itself to verify the license is active and track its expiration, since an expired credential is a genuine compliance risk. None of this scales down with the size of the office. The advantage a small practice has is that the program is simple to set up once and keep current with a structured onboarding process.
Clinical roles turn over, so you will hire and onboard for this again
Healthcare roles see meaningful turnover, which means a small practice hires and onboards repeatedly and benefits from a fast, repeatable process. FirstHR fits the people side of that loop: e-signature for the offer letter and HIPAA confidentiality agreement, an onboarding wizard and task workflows that assign HIPAA and BLS or CPR training and EHR access the same way every time, document management to store the signed agreement and track license expirations and CE against each employee profile, and an org chart for multi-provider practices. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll, administer benefits, or function as an EHR, so pair it with those systems. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and a healthcare-specific onboarding. Because the role involves a license to verify and HIPAA training to assign, a smooth, repeatable process pays off every time you hire.
Send the offer and confidentiality agreement
Confirm the role, pay, schedule, and classification in writing, with a HIPAA confidentiality agreement signed via e-signature alongside the offer letter.
Verify the license and run HIPAA training
Verify the RN, LPN, or MA license is active where required, and assign HIPAA privacy and BLS or CPR training as part of the first week.
Set up EHR access and a first week
Grant access to the EHR and clinical systems, and assign the same onboarding checklist every time, with an introduction to providers and staff.
Track licenses, certs, and CE
Store the signed agreement and keep license expirations, BLS or CPR cards, and continuing-education records organized against the employee profile.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new coordinator a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, confidentiality agreement, e-signatures, document management, and onboarding workflow in one place, so a small practice can capture the signed agreement, verify the license, assign HIPAA training, and run a consistent first week. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, and it does not run payroll, administer benefits, or function as an EHR, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A clinical coordinator manages clinical operations and patient flow: scheduling, team support, records, and HIPAA compliance.
Use the template that matches the setting: general, small practice, operations, care, senior, or program.
The role is not inherently licensed; scope decides whether it needs an RN, LPN, MA, or no clinical license.
FLSA splits on the license: an RN-based coordinator may be exempt, while an LPN-based or administrative coordinator is usually non-exempt.
Pay runs roughly $50,000 to $73,000 for non-RN roles and higher for RN-based or hospital department versions.
Onboarding is where the compliance gets handled: a signed confidentiality agreement, license verification, and HIPAA training.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a clinical coordinator do?
A clinical coordinator manages the day-to-day clinical operations and patient flow of a healthcare organization. The work typically includes coordinating scheduling for patients, providers, and resources, supporting the clinical team, maintaining patient records in the electronic health record, ensuring HIPAA compliance, tracking supplies and workflows, and serving as a link between providers, staff, and patients. The exact mix depends heavily on the setting: at a small practice the coordinator often wears many hats and overlaps with the office manager, while in a hospital department the role is narrower and usually RN-based. Related variations include clinical operations coordinator, which leans toward process and data; clinical care coordinator, which focuses on patient care plans and transitions; and clinical program coordinator, which runs a specific service line. This page includes templates for each. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a clinical coordinator a licensed or clinical role?
It depends on the scope, and both versions exist. Clinical coordinator is not inherently a licensed role. Many postings require or prefer a registered nurse, often with a BSN, especially in hospitals and higher-acuity settings. Others are filled by a licensed practical nurse, a medical assistant, or an experienced healthcare administrator with no clinical license, which is common at small practices and in operations-focused roles. The scope of the job decides: a care-coordination or clinical-supervision role is more likely to require a nurse, while an operations or administrative coordinator role often does not. Common credentials that appear in postings include a state RN or LPN license, BLS or CPR, ACLS or PALS for higher-acuity settings, and case-management or quality credentials. Decide what your specific role actually needs and state it clearly, then verify any required license is active. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a clinical coordinator exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
It depends on the license and duties, not the title, and this is the compliance point most templates skip. Per Department of Labor guidance, registered nurses who are registered by the appropriate state board generally meet the duties requirements for the learned professional exemption and may be classified as exempt if paid on a salary basis of at least the federal threshold of $684 per week. So an RN-based clinical coordinator is often exempt. Licensed practical nurses and similar staff generally do not qualify and are non-exempt, entitled to overtime, because a specialized advanced academic degree is not a standard entry requirement. A non-clinical administrative or operations coordinator is also typically non-exempt. The practical rule: an RN-based coordinator may be exempt, while an LPN-based or administrative coordinator usually is not. Classify by actual duties and salary, confirm for the specific role, and note that some states apply stricter tests. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a clinical coordinator make?
Pay varies widely because the title spans several different roles. There is no single federal occupation code for clinical coordinator; the role sits between medical secretaries and administrative assistants on the lower end and registered nurses and medical and health services managers on the higher end. For reference, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $93,600 for registered nurses and $117,960 for medical and health services managers, while administrative healthcare support roles run far lower. In practice, national compensation surveys put most non-RN clinical coordinator roles in roughly the $50,000 to $73,000 range, with patient-facing administrative coordinators lower and RN-based or hospital department roles reaching $90,000 or more. Benchmark to your setting, whether the role requires a nurse, and your local market, and publish a pay range where required. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a clinical coordinator and a care coordinator?
They overlap but differ in focus. A clinical coordinator manages day-to-day clinical operations and patient flow, a broad operations-and-logistics role that keeps the clinic or department running, covering scheduling, staff support, records, and compliance. A care coordinator is narrower and patient-centered, focused on coordinating an individual patient's care plan, referrals, and transitions across providers and settings, closer to light case management. In a small practice the two can be the same person, but the distinction matters for the posting: if the job is keeping the operation running, it is a clinical coordinator, and if it is shepherding patients through their care journey, it is a care coordinator. A related role, the patient navigator, works at the front end of access and is often non-clinical. Match the title to the actual scope. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do small medical practices hire clinical coordinators, and who writes the job description?
Yes. Small physician offices, dental and specialty practices, outpatient clinics, behavioral-health practices, and home-health agencies all hire clinical coordinators, usually with the owner, a lead provider, or an office manager writing the job description and running the hire directly, since most do not have a dedicated HR department. At that scale the role is broad, blending clinical coordination with office-management duties, and is often non-exempt and hourly. The practical approach for a small practice is to use the small-practice version of the template, which builds in HIPAA confidentiality language, EHR and license fields, and a classification prompt; decide whether the role requires a clinical license; benchmark pay to your local market; and run a consistent onboarding that captures the offer, confidentiality agreement, license verification, and HIPAA training. Because clinical roles turn over, a repeatable hire-to-onboard process pays off. This is general information, not legal advice.
What EHR or EMR experience should a clinical coordinator have?
Name the system your organization actually uses, because EHR experience is one of the most practical filters in a clinical coordinator posting. Hospitals and large practices commonly require Epic or Cerner, while small practices and ambulatory clinics more often run eClinicalWorks, Athenahealth, NextGen, Practice Fusion, Allscripts or Veradigm, or MEDITECH. The templates on this page include an EHR fill-in field so you can specify yours and whether experience with it is required or merely preferred. A coordinator who already knows your system ramps up far faster, but a candidate experienced in a comparable EHR can usually transfer skills quickly, so consider whether to treat specific-system experience as required or preferred. State it either way, since leaving the EHR unspecified is a common gap in generic templates. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a clinical coordinator job description include?
A strong clinical coordinator job description names the setting and scope up front, whether a small practice, an operations role, a care-coordination role, a senior lead, or a program coordinator, since the setting drives the duties and the license requirement. It should include a short summary of the organization, a job summary that frames the clinical-operations focus, and responsibilities grouped into operations and scheduling, patient and care, records and EHR, and compliance and quality. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the HIPAA confidentiality expectation, the specific license or certification required by scope, the EHR system named as a fill-in field, and the FLSA classification stated honestly with the RN-versus-non-RN nuance. Close with a realistic pay range, an equal opportunity statement, and clear apply instructions, then bridge into onboarding including license verification and HIPAA training. This is general information, not legal advice.
