Health information manager vs medical records clerk

The differences between health information managers and medical records clerks 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 medical records clerk. Additionally, a health information manager has an average salary of $63,401, which is higher than the $32,491 average annual salary of a medical records clerk.

The top three skills for a health information manager include patients, transcription and patient care. The most important skills for a medical records clerk are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Health information manager vs medical records clerk overview

	Health Information Manager	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$63,401	$32,491
Hourly rate	$30.48	$15.62
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	121,247	129,998
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Associate Degree, 29%
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 medical records clerk do?

Medical records clerks are employees in hospitals or clinics who manage office records. They are in charge of creating, updating, and filing patient-related medical records and other related documents. They ensure that all documents are correctly filled out and labeled before storing them safely in their respective storage areas. They may also be in charge of digitizing forms for easier access to files and back up purposes. They ensure that medical records are exact and updated. Medical records clerks should be organized and must always be on top of all tasks related to patient or medical records.

Health information manager vs medical records clerk salary

Health information managers and medical records clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Health Information Manager	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$63,401	$32,491
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $103,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Farmington, CT	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	Huron Consulting Group	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between health information manager and medical records clerk education

There are a few differences between a health information manager and a medical records clerk in terms of educational background:

	Health Information Manager	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Computer Information Systems	Health Care Administration
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Pennsylvania

Health information manager vs medical records clerk demographics

Here are the differences between health information managers' and medical records clerks' demographics:

	Health Information Manager	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between health information manager and medical records clerk 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).

Medical records clerk example responsibilities.

Manage transition from in-house transcription system to outsource transcription service.
Manage front office check-in, insurance verification and certifications from doctors.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Perform infant labs and update the system with results, triage incoming patients, perform necessary resuscitation to baby and mom.
Provide information to medical facilities and patients when necessary and respond to subpoenas and other general release of patient information.
Experience in CPT and ICD-10 coding.

Health information manager vs medical records clerk skills

Common health information manager skills

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

Common medical records clerk skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 6%
HIPAA, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

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Health Information Manager vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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