Salary of Medical Records Technician Overview

What is Medical records technician?

Medical records technicians may also be called coders, coding specialists, or coding agents. Lisa Menzies, coordinator of coding quality at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, says these specialists “abstract information from medical record documents, assign appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes.” These codes are then used for a variety of purposes, including reimbursement, planning, research, and public health authorities to track and monitor disease patterns.”

Tracy Avis, a coding representative at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, knew she wanted to work in health care, but she also knew patient care wasn’t for her. “I’m very emotional,” she explains.

However, the scope of medical records appealed to him. For Avis, it was a way of working in health care without dealing with difficult diagnoses or heartbreaking illnesses.

To be in this field, you must be highly detail-oriented and motivated rather than discouraged by constant change. Healthcare reform, advances in technology, the migration from paper to electronic health records, and increased regulatory compliance have made the profession an evolving one. “We’re in an unprecedented time in health care, which can be scary. But I love the challenge,” Manesis says.

An aging population, which requires more and more medical services, increases the demand for more health care professionals, including medical records technicians.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected employment growth of 6.6 percent for medical records technicians between 2021 and 2031. During this period, about 12,300 jobs should be created.

What is the income of a medical records technician?

Medical records technicians had a median salary of $46,660 in 2021. The highest-paid 25 percent earned $59,120 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent earned $36,930.

How to become Medical records technician?

To become a medical records technician, you need an associate’s degree or post-graduate certificate in health information technology or a similar field. These will likely include courses such as medical terminology, anatomy, health care reimbursement methods, and classification and coding systems. Most employers also require their medical records technicians to obtain a professional certification, such as the Registered Health Information Technician certification through the American Health Information Management Association.

Job Satisfaction

The average American works well into their 60s, so workers may have an enjoyable and fulfilling career. A job with a low stress level, good work-life balance, and strong prospects for improvement, promotion, and higher pay make many employees happy. Here’s how Medical records technicians Job satisfaction is rated in terms of upward mobility, stress level and flexibility.