What Does it Take to Be a Medical Records or Health Information Technician?
Position Description 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
- Train medical records staff.
- Develop in-service educational materials.
- Resolve or clarify codes or diagnoses with conflicting, missing, or unclear information by consulting with doctors or others or by participating in the coding team’s regular meetings.
- Review records for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with regulations.
- Transcribe medical reports.
- Compile medical care and census data for statistical reports on diseases treated, surgery performed, or use of hospital beds.
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What a Medical Records or Health Information Tech Should Know
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.
Related Job Titles
- Certified Coding Specialist
- Medical Coder
- Healthcare Data Analyst
- HIM Inpatient Coding Auditor (Health Information Management Inpatient Coding Auditors)
- Business Office Representative
Job Opportunities for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
There were about 206,300 jobs for Medical Records or Health Information Technician in 2016 (in the United States). 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. The BLS estimates 15,800 yearly job openings in this field.
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 average yearly salary of a Medical Records or Health Information Tech ranges between $26,550 and $66,260.
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians who work in New Jersey, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians 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?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Medical Records and Health Information Technicians:
- 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 is needed to be a Medical Records or Health Information Technician?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Work
Below are examples of industries where Medical Records and Health Information Technicians work:
You May Also Be Interested In…
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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