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The differences between health information technicians 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 technician and a medical record assistant. Additionally, a medical record assistant has an average salary of $34,870, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a health information technician include patients, medical terminology and customer service. The most important skills for a medical record assistant are patients, data entry, and HIPAA.
| Health Information Technician | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,604 | $34,870 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $16.76 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 120,786 | 91,238 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| 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 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 technicians and medical record assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Information Technician | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,604 | $34,870 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | Napa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Stifel Financial | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a health information technician and a medical record assistant in terms of educational background:
| Health Information Technician | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | 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 technicians' and medical record assistants' demographics:
| Health Information Technician | Medical Record Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% |
| 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, 9.1% 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% |