Medical Records Technicians
Description OES Code: 329110
Compile and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients.

Wages, California
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $9.68
25th Percentile $10.97
50th Percentile $13.43
75th Percentile $16.69

Wages by California County
• OES Survey
• CCOIS Survey

Hours & Benefits
The typical work week is 40 hours. Fringe benefits almost always include paid vacations, holidays, and sick leave, in addition to paid health and retirement plans.

Employment Trends, California
Employment 1998 9,800
Projected Employment 2008 17,000
Percent Change 1998-2008 73.5%
Separations 1998-2008 3,300

Employment Trends, San Joaquin County
Employment 1999 90
Projected Employment 2006 110
Percent Change 1999-2006 22.2%
Separations 1999-2006 20

Employment Trends by California County

Working Conditions
Workers in this field have a modern office environment complete with sophisticated and costly computer equipment. There may be pressures from the demand to efficiently run a vast and growing health information system that has quick data storage and retrieval.

Advancement
Medical Record Administrator advancement depends on the size of the health care facility. In large centers, they may start as assistant administrators and advance to director of medical record departments. Some become consultants to a cluster of small clinics, to health researchers, or to contractors that manage health information systems. Graduate degrees are becoming more important for advancement in this field.

Getting the Job & Other Information
Medical Record Administrators often get hired before graduation through instructor recommendation and placement.

Networking through professional associations and using professional health industry search firms are the most common ways to find job leads. Job seekers should also apply directly to health services centers, health research firms, computer and accounting companies specializing in health information, and State and federal agencies and private contractors responsible for managing the Medicare Health Insurance program. Recent graduates should apply with their school placement office.

For a list of current job listing, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank.

Education and Training
Medical Record Coders earn a certificate to become certified coders through a one-year community college program or through adult education, Regional Occupation Programs (ROP) or private schools. Medical Record Technicians need an associate degree. Graduates are eligible to take the test given by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) to be certified as Accredited Record Technicians (ARTs). California requires certification only for those technicians who actually manage medical record departments.

Skills & Other Requirements
Medical Record Technicians (also called Health Information Technicians) organize, analyze and evaluate medical records. They compile medical care and census data for reports on types of diseases treated, surgery done and rate of hospital bed use. This information is used by law firms, insurance companies and government agencies. Technicians consult with doctors to resolve or clarify codes for conflicting or unclear information and participate in the coding team's regular meetings. They must know coding system regulations and any changes made by official agencies that affect coding information policies. They also need to understand third-party reimbursement regulations–payment procedures of health insurance firms and health maintenance organizations.

References
California Occupational Guide: #134

Related Occupations: Medical Secretaries, Hospital & Health Services Administrators

Training: California Training and Education Providers (CTEP)