What is a Medical Records or Health Information Technician?
Medical Records or Health Information Tech Example 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.
Life As a Medical Records or Health Information Tech: What Do They Do?
- Review records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
- Manage the department or supervise clerical workers, directing or controlling activities of personnel in the medical records department.
- Plan, develop, maintain, or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
- Process and prepare business or government forms.
- Process patient admission or discharge documents.
- Compile and maintain patients’ medical records to document condition and treatment and to provide data for research or cost control and care improvement efforts.
Featured schools near , edit
Skills Needed to be a Medical Records or Health Information Tech
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Types of Medical Records or Health Information Technician
- Clinical Data Specialist
- Medical Records Technician (Medical Records Tech)
- Health Information Management Technician
- Release of Information Specialist
- Health Information Technician (Health Information Tech)
Job Opportunities 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 different U.S. states?
| 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 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
How do I Become a Medical Records or Health Information Tech?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Medical Records or Health Information Technician?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Medical Records or Health Information Tech?
Who Employs Medical Records and Health Information Technicians?
The table below shows the approximate number of Medical Records and Health Information Technicians employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Medical Records or Health Information Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Medical Records or Health Information Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
HealthcareDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© HealthcareDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.