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The differences between health information specialists and registration specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a health information specialist, becoming a registration specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a health information specialist has an average salary of $33,343, which is higher than the $30,422 average annual salary of a registration specialist.
The top three skills for a health information specialist include patients, HIPAA and medical terminology. The most important skills for a registration specialist are patients, customer service, and medical terminology.
| Health Information Specialist | Registration Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $33,343 | $30,422 |
| Hourly rate | $16.03 | $14.63 |
| Growth rate | 11% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 135,448 | 79,118 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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 registration specialist is responsible for managing patient information, including the verification of their insurance details and medical treatment schedules. Registration specialists assign admission rooms and processing payments for discharge. They also assist patients with the completion of medical forms by helping them fill-out papers with the most accurate information. A registration specialist performs administrative and clerical duties as needed, requiring them to have excellent data management skills to process information and provide the highest quality care services for the patients.
Health information specialists and registration specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Information Specialist | Registration Specialist | |
| Average salary | $33,343 | $30,422 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $42,000 | Between $23,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | University of California | Deloitte |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a health information specialist and a registration specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Information Specialist | Registration Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| 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 registration specialists' demographics:
| Health Information Specialist | Registration Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.1% Female, 84.9% | Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |