What is a Medical Records or Health Information Technician?
Job Description & Duties Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system. Process, maintain, compile, and report patient information for health requirements and standards in a manner consistent with the healthcare industry’s numerical coding system.
Medical Records or Health Information Tech Responsibilities
- Compile and maintain patients’ medical records to document condition and treatment and to provide data for research or cost control and care improvement efforts.
- Review records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
- Process patient admission or discharge documents.
- Release information to persons or agencies according to regulations.
- Process and prepare business or government forms.
- Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Medical Records or Health Information Tech?
Below is a list of the skills most Medical Records and Health Information Technicians say are important on the job.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Other Medical Records or Health Information Tech Job Titles
- Medical Data Analyst
- Medical Records Director
- Tumor Registrar
- Clinical Data Specialist
- Health Information Management Hospital Coder (HIM Hospital Coder)
Is There Going to be Demand for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians?
In the United States, there were 206,300 jobs for Medical Records or Health Information Technician in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 27,800 new jobs for Medical Records or Health Information Technician by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 15,800 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Medical Records or Health Information Tech are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Illinois, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Medical Records or Health Information Tech Salary
The salary for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians ranges between about $26,550 and $66,260 a year.
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians who work in New Jersey, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
How much do Medical Records and Health Information Technicians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,470 |
| Alaska | $50,250 |
| Arizona | $40,800 |
| Arkansas | $34,610 |
| California | $51,880 |
| Colorado | $49,340 |
| Connecticut | $51,400 |
| Delaware | $45,390 |
| District of Columbia | $53,430 |
| Florida | $41,340 |
| Georgia | $39,080 |
| Hawaii | $50,940 |
| Idaho | $39,400 |
| Illinois | $45,800 |
| Indiana | $42,350 |
| Iowa | $41,190 |
| Kansas | $39,070 |
| Kentucky | $38,130 |
| Louisiana | $37,430 |
| Maine | $39,030 |
| Maryland | $50,460 |
| Massachusetts | $50,740 |
| Michigan | $41,100 |
| Minnesota | $50,060 |
| Mississippi | $35,300 |
| Missouri | $42,460 |
| Montana | $39,500 |
| Nebraska | $40,430 |
| Nevada | $43,100 |
| New Hampshire | $43,120 |
| New Jersey | $54,020 |
| New Mexico | $38,520 |
| New York | $47,420 |
| North Carolina | $39,740 |
| North Dakota | $43,380 |
| Ohio | $43,980 |
| Oklahoma | $38,140 |
| Oregon | $48,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,320 |
| Rhode Island | $47,990 |
| South Carolina | $41,040 |
| South Dakota | $40,170 |
| Tennessee | $43,050 |
| Texas | $41,950 |
| Utah | $42,150 |
| Vermont | $42,480 |
| Virginia | $43,590 |
| Washington | $46,160 |
| West Virginia | $39,430 |
| Wisconsin | $41,810 |
| Wyoming | $42,090 |
What Tools & Technology do Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Medical Records and Health Information Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Visio
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Dynamics
- SAS
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft SQL Server
- R
Becoming a Medical Records or Health Information Tech
What kind of Medical Records or Health Information Technician requirements are there?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Work
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians work in the following industries:
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Medical Records or Health Information Technician may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Medical Records or Health Information Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via Public domain
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