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The differences between health information coders and medical record assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a health information coder and a medical record assistant. Additionally, a health information coder has an average salary of $54,353, which is higher than the $34,870 average annual salary of a medical record assistant.
The top three skills for a health information coder include medical terminology, ICD-10-CM and CPC. The most important skills for a medical record assistant are patients, data entry, and HIPAA.
| Health Information Coder | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $54,353 | $34,870 |
| Hourly rate | $26.13 | $16.76 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 112,238 | 91,238 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A health information coder is responsible for translating the reports of physicians into beneficial medical codes. Health information coders make sure that all important information is appropriately coded for accuracy and consistency. The coders read the medical chart of a patient and analyze it and identify patient diagnoses and medical procedures. They categorize the diagnoses and the necessary procedures based on a national classification system. Also, they assign particular alphanumeric or numeric code to each procedure or diagnosis.
A medical record assistant is responsible for the proper documentation of the patients' information and medical records for reference to the attending physician or other medical professionals. Medical record assistants also track the patient's medical treatments and progress, as well as their health insurance details and coverage. They also respond to the patient's inquiries and concerns, including scheduling physician's appointments and updating the patients for any released medical results. A medical record assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, categorizing documents, and retrieving files for medical needs.
Health information coders and medical record assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Information Coder | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average salary | $54,353 | $34,870 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $78,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Napa, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a health information coder and a medical record assistant in terms of educational background:
| Health Information Coder | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Business |
| Most common college | Georgetown University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between health information coders' and medical record assistants' demographics:
| Health Information Coder | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.0% Female, 88.0% | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |