What Are the Responsibilities of a Health Unit Coordinator?

Great Careers Start Here
  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

A Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) helps to oversee the administrative operations of a hospital unit. In this role, you are at the center of communications channels, relaying information from patients to doctors, from nurse to nurse, and among all the players on a healthcare team. You also coordinate staff schedules, maintain patient records, and keep track of the unit’s inventory so supplies never run out. Here’s a closer look at the responsibilities you might have as a Health Unit Coordinator:

Heath Unit Coordinators Communicate with Physicians and Patients

Sitting at the hub of your unit, you bridge communication between doctors and patients, with patient care top of mind. When new patients are admitted or have questions or requests for the doctor, you communicate that information quickly and efficiently. You also pass along important notes and messages to staff. For example, if a nurse notices a change in a patient’s condition, you might be asked to relay that information to the doctor. You also communicate with patients’ families, addressing their questions and listening to their concerns.

HUC Responsibility: Answer Phones and Emails

Internal communication is just one facet of your job. You also communicate with patients via phone calls and emails. As patients call with questions, you act as their direct point of contact as you manage the phone lines. You might also have emails from vendors or other hospital administrators that you need to respond to in a timely manner.

Health Unit Coordinators Maintain Schedules

As an HUC, you maintain the daily and weekly schedules for the employees in your unit. You make sure your unit is adequately staffed at all times and that all shifts are covered. And if someone calls out, it’s up to you to reach out to someone from the on-call list to cover. You might also schedule patient appointments with physicians, specialists, and labs, and send reminders via email, text, and phone calls.

HUCs Audit Patient Medical Records

Another important responsibility you have as a Health Unit Coordinator is to maintain patient medical records. It’s up to you to make sure the information is accurate and complete and that it strictly adheres to rules about patient confidentiality. You need to:

  • Verify that medical records include all required forms, orders, notes, and discharge summaries
  • Obtain signatures and make sure all entries are signed, dated, and time-stamped
  • Check records to make sure updates are timely and directed to the appropriate departments
  • Flag errors, omissions, and inconsistencies
  • Prepare for hospital-wide internal audits and quality reviews

Health Unit Coordinators Order Inventory

When medical and office supplies run low, it’s up to you to determine what your unit needs and place the restock order. You manage the inventory list and check daily for medications, supplies, and even equipment that may need to be repaired or replaced. Then, you place orders with vendors and track the shipments to be sure they arrive before you run out of essential items.

Are you ready to become a Health Unit Coordinator? Charter College offers a Certificate in Health Unit Coordinator that can prepare you for an entry-level career in the field. The program can be completed online in as few as 10 months and qualifies you to sit for a proctored certification test that can give you a competitive edge during the job search. For more information, call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.