Clinical documentation improvement specialist vs recording technician

The differences between clinical documentation improvement specialists and recording technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a clinical documentation improvement specialist and a recording technician. Additionally, a clinical documentation improvement specialist has an average salary of $64,797, which is higher than the $34,620 average annual salary of a recording technician.

The top three skills for a clinical documentation improvement specialist include patients, patient care and clinical documentation improvement. The most important skills for a recording technician are customer service, data entry, and database systems.

Clinical documentation improvement specialist vs recording technician overview

	Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist	Recording Technician
Yearly salary	$64,797	$34,620
Hourly rate	$31.15	$16.64
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	66,130	25,621
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a clinical documentation improvement specialist do?

Clinical documentation improvement specialists are professionals who are involved in the clinical documentation improvement (CDI) program that incorporates the terminology needed to translate a patient's condition into precise codes. These specialists must investigate complex healthcare reimbursement information to ensure that appropriate documentation is provided for proper patient care. They must collaborate with physicians and medical record coding staff so that they facilitate the clinical documentation improvement process. Clinical documentation improvement specialists must also train members of the patient care team about the documentation guidelines for medical records.

What does a recording technician do?

A recording technician specializes in operating audio systems and equipment for various purposes such as recordings, broadcasts, and events. It is their responsibility to prepare equipment according to project or program requirements like microphones, audio lines, speakers, and amplifiers, ensuring everything is accounted for and is functioning efficiently. Aside from setting up equipment, they must also conduct regular maintenance checks and perform repairs as necessary. Moreover, as a recording technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.

Clinical documentation improvement specialist vs recording technician salary

Clinical documentation improvement specialists and recording technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist	Recording Technician
Average salary	$64,797	$34,620
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $87,000	Between $26,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	Madera, CA	Santa Cruz, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Nuance Communications	National Grid plc
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between clinical documentation improvement specialist and recording technician education

There are a few differences between a clinical documentation improvement specialist and a recording technician in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist	Recording Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	Duke University	Stanford University

Clinical documentation improvement specialist vs recording technician demographics

Here are the differences between clinical documentation improvement specialists' and recording technicians' demographics:

	Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist	Recording Technician
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8%	Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical documentation improvement specialist and recording technician duties and responsibilities

Clinical documentation improvement specialist example responsibilities.

Create documentation education classes to general surgery residents, increasing the leveling of reporting which lead to increase revenues.
Interact directly with physicians to query for more specific documentation and to provide documentation guidelines from ICD-9 and ICD-10 standards.
Prepare, maintain and update clinical documentation ensuring completeness and accuracy of services provide to the patients.
Assign the correct POA status.
Participate in the initiation of the CDIS program.
Train new employees on how to utilize radiology information systems.

Recording technician example responsibilities.

Utilize SharePoint and Accutrac to convert information, by ensuring constant communication with department records coordinator and project leads.
Scan transcripts and financial documents into Onbase.
Perform periodic GMP audits to the manufacturing area.
Update procedures according to CFR & ISO requirements.
Assist processing, digitizing, and setting base-color on production materials.
Implement policy and procedures for HIPPA, OSHA and daily office guidelines.

Clinical documentation improvement specialist vs recording technician skills

Common clinical documentation improvement specialist skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 13%
Clinical Documentation Improvement, 12%
CCDS, 8%
ICD-10, 7%
CCS, 6%

Common recording technician skills

Customer Service, 20%
Data Entry, 18%
Database Systems, 7%
Office Equipment, 5%
Background Checks, 4%
Computer System, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist vs Recording Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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