Health information manager vs health care administrator

The differences between health information managers and health care administrators 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 manager and a health care administrator. Additionally, a health care administrator has an average salary of $68,187, which is higher than the $63,401 average annual salary of a health information manager.

The top three skills for a health information manager include patients, transcription and patient care. The most important skills for a health care administrator are patients, patient care, and health care services.

Health information manager vs health care administrator overview

	Health Information Manager	Health Care Administrator
Yearly salary	$63,401	$68,187
Hourly rate	$30.48	$32.78
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	121,247	161,949
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a health information manager do?

A Health Information Manager is someone who processes and safeguards patient information records. A health facility needs to secure patient records as it is confidential. A health information manager creates and implements policies in recording and documenting patient records and retrieve them upon request of a physician for a diagnosis. The health information manager also ensures that all patient information acquired by the healthcare facility is stored securely, adhering to all state and federal laws concerning data privacy.

What does a health care administrator do?

A health care administrator is primarily in charge of overseeing the daily administrative operations of medical and health care facilities. They are responsible for setting objectives, establishing guidelines and employee schedules, maintaining accurate records, gathering and analyzing data, developing strategies to optimize operations, and coordinating with nurses, physicians, patients, and other health care experts. Moreover, as a health care administrator, it is essential to address and resolve issues and concerns, implement the facility's policies and regulations, and ensure that procedures comply with health care laws and standards.

Health information manager vs health care administrator salary

Health information managers and health care administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Health Information Manager	Health Care Administrator
Average salary	$63,401	$68,187
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $103,000	Between $48,000 And $95,000
Highest paying City	Farmington, CT	Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Nevada
Best paying company	Huron Consulting Group	One Brooklyn Health
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between health information manager and health care administrator education

There are a few differences between a health information manager and a health care administrator in terms of educational background:

	Health Information Manager	Health Care Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Computer Information Systems	Nursing
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Pennsylvania

Health information manager vs health care administrator demographics

Here are the differences between health information managers' and health care administrators' demographics:

	Health Information Manager	Health Care Administrator
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1%	Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between health information manager and health care administrator duties and responsibilities

Health information manager example responsibilities.

Manage discharged medical records and confidentiality of records as per HIPAA regulations.
Achieve this goal by providing clear policies/justification for initiatives which impact designated FTE's.
Maintain integrity of CPT coding, payer contracts and library builds.
Compile & generate statistical reports for ROI purposes & physician re-appointments.
Ensure correct assignment of ICD-9-CM diagnosis code/s and sequencing of admission diagnosis for billing.
Serve as an integral part of the ICD-10 implementation team for the facility (ongoing).

Health care administrator example responsibilities.

Research and resolve recipients complaints relate to Medicaid service limitations, accessibility of MediPass manage services and provider treatment of recipients.
Interview prospective adopters and communicate the pet's needs.
Design training for EMR implementation for staff and medical providers.
Oversee pet care technician staff and report issues to management.
Utilize electronic medical records (EMR) technology for military members.
Supervise the maintenance and safeguarding of medical records and compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Health information manager vs health care administrator skills

Common health information manager skills

Patients, 23%
Transcription, 10%
Patient Care, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Chart Completion, 5%
ICD-10, 4%

Common health care administrator skills

Patients, 26%
Patient Care, 9%
Health Care Services, 6%
Home Health, 6%
Mental Health, 6%
Vital Signs, 4%

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Health Information Manager
Health Information Manager vs Health Care Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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