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The differences between health information technicians and health information specialists 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 technician and a health information specialist. Additionally, a health information technician has an average salary of $34,604, which is higher than the $33,343 average annual salary of a health information specialist.
The top three skills for a health information technician include patients, medical terminology and customer service. The most important skills for a health information specialist are patients, HIPAA, and medical terminology.
| Health Information Technician | Health Information Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $34,604 | $33,343 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $16.03 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 120,786 | 135,448 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.
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.
Health information technicians and health information specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Information Technician | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average salary | $34,604 | $33,343 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Stifel Financial | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a health information technician and a health information specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Information Technician | Health Information Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between health information technicians' and health information specialists' demographics:
| Health Information Technician | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% | Male, 15.1% Female, 84.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |