Medical record assistant vs medical office administrator

The differences between medical record assistants and medical office administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical record assistant, becoming a medical office administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical record assistant has an average salary of $34,870, which is higher than the $34,252 average annual salary of a medical office administrator.

The top three skills for a medical record assistant include patients, data entry and HIPAA. The most important skills for a medical office administrator are patients, patient care, and customer service.

Medical record assistant vs medical office administrator overview

	Medical Record Assistant	Medical Office Administrator
Yearly salary	$34,870	$34,252
Hourly rate	$16.76	$16.47
Growth rate	11%	-8%
Number of jobs	91,238	179,503
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	45	49
Years of experience	12	2

What does a medical record assistant do?

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.

What does a medical office administrator do?

A medical office administrator is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties within a health care institution, supplying physicians and medical professionals with patients' information, and coordinating with insurance companies. Medical office administrators handle the information and data management system to ensure the accuracy of patients' details, medical history, and treatment plans. They also schedule doctor appointments and cancellations, as well as monitoring the inventory of medical supplies. A medical office administrator submits payment reports, respond to patients' inquiries and concerns, and process billing disputes.

Medical record assistant vs medical office administrator salary

Medical record assistants and medical office administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Record Assistant	Medical Office Administrator
Average salary	$34,870	$34,252
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $43,000	Between $27,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Napa, CA	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between medical record assistant and medical office administrator education

There are a few differences between a medical record assistant and a medical office administrator in terms of educational background:

	Medical Record Assistant	Medical Office Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Medical record assistant vs medical office administrator demographics

Here are the differences between medical record assistants' and medical office administrators' demographics:

	Medical Record Assistant	Medical Office Administrator
Average age	45	49
Gender ratio	Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7%	Male, 9.4% Female, 90.6%
Race ratio	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%	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%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical record assistant and medical office administrator duties and responsibilities

Medical record assistant example responsibilities.

Lead special department-wide task force initiative to minimize abuse of Oxycontin prescriptions bill to Medicaid.
Manage and organize all paperwork concerning caregivers and patients; organize filing system; ensure operation of electronic filing systems.
Work with EHR, provide medical records to patients and specialty centers.
Guide department through transition from paper charts to EHR system scan all patient records into database.
Scan documents into electronic medical records system and certify HIPAA compliance
Implement HIPAA guidelines in keeping patient information secure and confidential.

Medical office administrator example responsibilities.

Re-Evaluat & improve policy manual, develop standards for HIPPA, OSHA, manage care, billing and medical compliance.
Facilitate client relationships and manage surgery schedules, financial consultations, follow up care and ongoing maintenance.
Used knowledge of medical procedures and customer service, record medical histories and schedule patients for hospitalization and other procedures.
Scan new information such as daily progress notes, physical exams, labs and diagnostic testing into EMR.
Advise and counsel patient regarding food, fluid, medicine intake and restrictions prior to surgery including drop regime.
Organize patient charts and loose reports, as well as paper work from daily operations for scanning into EMR system.

Medical record assistant vs medical office administrator skills

Common medical record assistant skills

Patients, 37%
Data Entry, 8%
HIPAA, 6%
Patient Care, 4%
Vital Signs, 4%
Medical Terminology, 3%

Common medical office administrator skills

Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 10%
Customer Service, 8%
Insurance Verification, 5%
Phone Calls, 5%
Appointment Scheduling, 4%

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Medical Record Assistant
Medical Record Assistant vs Medical Office Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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