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The differences between hospital technicians and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a hospital technician and a health information technician. Additionally, a hospital technician has an average salary of $34,666, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a hospital technician include patients, customer service and hospital policies. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Hospital Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,666 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 78,657 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A hospital technician assists the doctors and nurses in a clinic or hospital. They assist healthcare administrators in providing quality health care to patients, which may include providing prescriptions to patients. They are expected to keep patient records, and they may also be called upon to operate some laboratory equipment. This position requires basic knowledge of how to operate hospital equipment.
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.
Hospital technicians and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hospital Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,666 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $45,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Baystate Health | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a hospital technician and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Hospital Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between hospital technicians' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Hospital Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.1% Female, 67.9% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |