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HomeTopics...Health Care DegreesHealth Care Records
Career Profile: Health Care Medical Records TechnicianFor every visit you’ve made to your doctor's office, a detailed record exists documenting the nature of your appointment and the type of care you received.
Health care medical records technicians play an important role in managing patient record databases and monitoring the quality of the information systems that process these records. Because they control accessibility to patient health care records, medical records technicians are also responsible for protecting patients' privacy and must exercise discretion in handling confidential health-related information.
Records Management in Health CareMedical records technicians document and manage the following types of patient information:
Technicians also ensure that all medical forms are completed properly and signed. They are responsible for entering information from patients' charts accurately into the computer database and, in some cases, must be familiar with the hundreds of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) used to group patients by their medical diagnoses.
By processing and coding the diagnoses and treatments received by patients, technicians track how much insurance companies must reimburse a doctor's office or hospital for services performed. Coding, an area of specialty within the field of medical records technology, requires advanced training.
Looking for a school that focuses on this subject?
Here is a list of institutions and the number of programs they offer.
Degrees in Health Care Medical Records TechnologyMost medical records technicians must obtain an associate's degree from a community college before entering the field. An Associate of Arts Degree in Health Care Administration with emphasis in Medical Records prepares students for a career in health data management. Graduates may choose to work in a doctor’s office, a hospital or other health care setting.
An associate's degree in medical records technology or a related field also lays the groundwork for further study in health care. Coursework in a typical health care records associate's degree program may include:
Graduates of associate's degree programs are qualified to assume entry-level positions in the medical records field. The median starting salary for a medical records technician is $28,030.
Advancing Your Medical Records CareerMedical records technicians often advance to more senior positions by:
Becoming a Registered Health Information Technician requires taking a written exam administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). To take the exam, an individual must already possess an associate's degree; technicians who received on-the-job training and do not possess a degree are not able to take the examination.
Medical Records Technician SalariesFor technicians who have advanced by one of the above means, average salaries increase accordingly. While the middle 50 percent of employed health care medical records technicians earned between $22,420 and $35,990, those in the highest 10 percent, who possess advanced training and several years' experience, may earn more than $45,260.
A 2006 survey of the industries that employ the highest numbers of medical records technicians reported the following average incomes:
Do you have a program in mind?
Research different schools that offer any of the below programs with the links below. Associate's Programs
Bachelor's Programs
Master's Programs
Doctoral
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