Medical receptionist vs medical records clerk

The differences between medical receptionists and medical records clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a medical receptionist, becoming a medical records clerk takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical records clerk has an average salary of $32,491, which is higher than the $31,960 average annual salary of a medical receptionist.

The top three skills for a medical receptionist include patients, customer service and check-in. The most important skills for a medical records clerk are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Medical receptionist vs medical records clerk overview

	Medical Receptionist	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$31,960	$32,491
Hourly rate	$15.37	$15.62
Growth rate	-8%	11%
Number of jobs	118,048	129,998
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	49	45
Years of experience	2	12

What does a medical receptionist do?

Medical receptionists are responsible for manning the front desk at a medical facility such as a clinic or a hospital. They manage schedules and appointments in the clinic or hospital. They help patients to their respective appointments. They also assist doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners by ensuring that the schedule for the day is being followed. They are also in charge of assisting visitors by directing them wherever they would need to go. Medical receptionists also answer inquiries by patients or visitors. Medical knowledge, great customer service skills, and a friendly attitude are needed.

What does a medical records clerk do?

Medical records clerks are employees in hospitals or clinics who manage office records. They are in charge of creating, updating, and filing patient-related medical records and other related documents. They ensure that all documents are correctly filled out and labeled before storing them safely in their respective storage areas. They may also be in charge of digitizing forms for easier access to files and back up purposes. They ensure that medical records are exact and updated. Medical records clerks should be organized and must always be on top of all tasks related to patient or medical records.

Medical receptionist vs medical records clerk salary

Medical receptionists and medical records clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Receptionist	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$31,960	$32,491
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Maine	Alaska
Best paying company	CENTER FOR SIGHT	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between medical receptionist and medical records clerk education

There are a few differences between a medical receptionist and a medical records clerk in terms of educational background:

	Medical Receptionist	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Medical receptionist vs medical records clerk demographics

Here are the differences between medical receptionists' and medical records clerks' demographics:

	Medical Receptionist	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	49	45
Gender ratio	Male, 5.2% Female, 94.8%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical receptionist and medical records clerk duties and responsibilities

Medical receptionist example responsibilities.

Conduct analysis to address long wait times which lead to faster triage, shorter wait times.
Evaluate all EOB's to insure accurate payment is received and when necessary will file appeals to achieve optimal payments.
Greet and check-in patients, including obtaining accurate patient demographic information, patient registration, and checking insurance eligibility.
Learned and operate chiropractic equipment (decompression; Leander) & x-rays; enabling Dr to have more time for patients.
Resolve concerns of terminally ill patients with compassion and professionalism.
Identify patients' specific scheduling requirements while demonstrating care and compassion via telephone.

Medical records clerk example responsibilities.

Manage transition from in-house transcription system to outsource transcription service.
Manage front office check-in, insurance verification and certifications from doctors.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Perform infant labs and update the system with results, triage incoming patients, perform necessary resuscitation to baby and mom.
Provide information to medical facilities and patients when necessary and respond to subpoenas and other general release of patient information.
Experience in CPT and ICD-10 coding.

Medical receptionist vs medical records clerk skills

Common medical receptionist skills

Patients, 30%
Customer Service, 9%
Check-In, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Patient Care, 4%
Front Desk, 4%

Common medical records clerk skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 6%
HIPAA, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

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Medical Receptionist
Medical Receptionist vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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