How to hire a health information administrator

How to hire a health information administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step health information administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a health information administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new health information administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the health information administrator you need to hire. Certain health information administrator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A health information administrator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, health information administrators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of health information administrators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Health Information Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Health Information Administrator	Medical records and health information technicians, commonly referred to as health information technicians, organize and manage health information data. They ensure its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security in both paper and electronic systems... Show more	$15-43
   Records Analyst	A records analyst is responsible for maintaining the security and efficiency of record management processes for storing information and files in the database. Records analysts review documents and sort data accordingly, following organizational procedures in proper disposal of outdated documents... Show more	$14-29
   Medical Biller Coder	A medical biller coder is responsible for handling the billing processes and insurance within a hospital, clinic, or similar facility. They must gather patient information and records to analyze and translate them into codes according to the insurance and medical guidelines... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HIPAA
   • Transcription
   • Hippa
   • Epic
   • Subpoenas
   • CPT
   • Patient Care
   • ROI
   • Departmental Policies
   • Data Collection
   • FTE

   Responsibilities:

   • Achieve this goal by providing clear policies/justification for initiatives which impact designated FTE's.
   • Improve processes to reduce turnaround times for release of information, thus meeting HIPAA compliance.
   • Protect the security of medical records to ensure confidentiality in accordance to HIPPA guidelines.
   • Maintain open communication for areas of responsibility with patients, providers, administration, other managers and other departments.
   • Used HPF to (QCI) inpatient and outpatient documents.
   • Process accounts in assign facility HPF work queues/routers, extensive utilization of EMR.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your health information administrator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A health information administrator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, health information administrators' average salary in arkansas is 42% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level health information administrators earn 63% less than senior-level health information administrators.
   • Certifications. A health information administrator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a health information administrator's salary.

   Average health information administrator salary

   $54,667yearly

   $26.28 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level health information administrator salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a health information administrator job description

   A health information administrator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a health information administrator job description:

   Health information administrator job description example

   The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has determined these job duties are primarily administrative pursuant to 124.11 (A) (14) and this position will serve in an unclassified status based on the following job duties:
   
   Supervises & directs the Health Information Management Department which includes Health Information Management staff at Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare (NBH); including forensic units & admissions: develops, organizes, monitors department functions (e.g., unit record filing/clerical support, admissions, discharge, record assembly/completion, diagnostic/procedural coding, release of patient information, transcription, record storage/retrieval, Medicare Part B monitoring, utilization review process) in accordance with state & federal rules/regulations, Joint Commission accreditation standards, Medicare/Medicaid & Professional Review Organization (PRO); attends court as records custodian for NBH; develops & monitors dept goals & objectives; directs & supervises assigned staff (e.g., evaluates performance, approves/disapproves requests for leave, recommends discipline, develops continuing education training for staff); prepares (e.g., gathers & compiles information, analyzes & writes) reports on budget planning, annual department activities, QA/QI information; develops policies & procedures on record maintenance, files, security, retention (in accordance with OhioMHAS Retention Schedules).
   
   Develops & monitors systems to perform medical record audits & to provide patient information within the hospitals; participates in patient care audit studies as needed; assists in the development of appropriate & meaningful criteria utilized in projects/studies; provides related educational training & consultation to clinical staff, department heads, community agencies (e.g., patient confidentiality, CPT/ICD coding, records issues); provides Health Records orientation in-service to new hospital employees; consults with clinical department heads & the Chief Clinical Officer on problems related to patient records (e.g., content, quality, quantity) & makes recommendations for resolution; prepares related reports & correspondence; performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.; manages the health information process with the local ADAMH Boards in Northeast Ohio by assuring that all pertinent clinical information is forwarded to local agencies/Boards upon patient's discharge per local "continuity of care agreements" with NBH.
   
   Supervises and manages all NBH Medicare (Part A and B), Medicaid, and other third party insurance reimbursement for the hospital, assures that all reimbursement policies and procedures are consistent with OhioMHAS procedures, manages reimbursement staff to assure that all billing procedures are conducted thoroughly and timely and according to procedures, conducts billing reviews with medical staff, psychologists, and other professionally licensed providers to assure that all billable services are consistent with clinical documentation contained in the medical record, reviews monthly billing and revenue reports provided by OhioMHAS to assess the NBH billing productivity levels and to monitor billing by service type, (e.g. admission assessment, discharge reports, etc.), provides reports and analysis to the CEO & NBH clinical leadership regarding NBH revenue and reimbursement procedures.
   
   Attends meetings as assigned: Health Information Management Committee, Information Utilization Management Committee, Revenue Maxi Committee, External Bill Policy, PCS Coordinator, BHO HIM Director, NBH Compliance Council, Medical Staff meetings as needed; reports on relevant areas of responsibility pertaining to these committees' functions; attends OhioMHAS Health Records and Reimbursement meetings; attends training, continuing education and staff development sessions and activities; provides other essential and assigned duties; utilize OhioMHAS approved office productivity software, approved intranet & Internet resources & information systems in an appropriate work related manner as specified in the NBH Personal Computer Usage Guidelines for Employees .
   Qualifications
   Completion of health information technology or health information administration program offered by technical school or university/college which would qualify applicant for accreditation as registered health information administrator (RHIA) or registered health information technician (RHIT).
   
   Note: option for accreditation as registered health information technician (RHIT) is only in effect until January, 2004.
   
   Preferred Qualifications:
   
   Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right health information administrator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your health information administrator job on Zippia to find and attract quality health information administrator candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit health information administrators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new health information administrator

   Once you've selected the best health information administrator candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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