Health Unit Coordinator

Health Unit Coordinators are members of the supporting cast that helps maintain a health care facility’s service and performance. These trained individuals may also be known as unit clerks, ward clerks, or unit secretaries. Some of their daily operations include preparing special documents such as birth/death certificates, maintaining patient charts and records, coordinating patient activities for the unit, ordering supplies, and communicating with the dietary department. They may also perform other duties such as graphing the temperature, pulse, and blood pressure readings for patients, as well as transcribing medical orders and completing admission and discharge forms.

Health unit coordinators usually work under the supervision of the registered nursing staff or the health information administrator. One of their main responsibilities is to act as a liaison between the patients and staff. They must have excellent communication skills in order to serve as this vital link between the physicians, nursing staff, various departments, patients, and visitors. Since these unit coordinators may serve as receptionists on patient floors, they must possess a pleasant and professional disposition in dealing with the public.

Anyone interested in this health related profession should pay close attention to detail, be reliable and dependable, and have the ability to follow instructions and procedures.