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The differences between health information specialists 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 specialist and a medical record assistant. Additionally, a medical record assistant has an average salary of $34,870, which is higher than the $33,343 average annual salary of a health information specialist.
The top three skills for a health information specialist include patients, HIPAA and medical terminology. The most important skills for a medical record assistant are patients, data entry, and HIPAA.
| Health Information Specialist | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,343 | $34,870 |
| Hourly rate | $16.03 | $16.76 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 135,448 | 91,238 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A health information specialist is in charge of overseeing and developing strategies to optimize information management procedures in hospitals, physicians' offices, and other similar environments. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering and updating medical records, receiving and organizing files, and updating databases according to the appropriate coding systems and procedures. Furthermore, as a health information specialist, it is essential to coordinate with nurses and other staff to ensure accuracy in documentation, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
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 specialists and medical record assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Information Specialist | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,343 | $34,870 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $42,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Napa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of California | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a health information specialist and a medical record assistant in terms of educational background:
| Health Information Specialist | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between health information specialists' and medical record assistants' demographics:
| Health Information Specialist | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.1% Female, 84.9% | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.0% 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% |