Medical record coder vs assistant laboratory technician

The differences between medical record coders and assistant laboratory 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 medical record coder and an assistant laboratory technician. Additionally, a medical record coder has an average salary of $54,162, which is higher than the $35,556 average annual salary of an assistant laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a medical record coder include medical terminology, patients and CPC. The most important skills for an assistant laboratory technician are patients, ladders, and computer lab.

Medical record coder vs assistant laboratory technician overview

	Medical Record Coder	Assistant Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary	$54,162	$35,556
Hourly rate	$26.04	$17.09
Growth rate	11%	1%
Number of jobs	51,197	116,488
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	12	12

What does a medical record coder do?

A medical record coder is responsible for translating medical files and documents to comprehensive files required by insurance companies and other non-medical institutions. Medical record coders disclose all the patients' information on the file, including their treatment procedures, diagnosis, and medications. They serve as the representative of a medical institution to respond to inquiries and concerns, resolve record discrepancies, and submit additional documents as necessary. A medical record coder must have excellent communication skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the medical industry to discuss medical terms accurately and efficiently.

What does an assistant laboratory technician do?

The primary responsibility of a lab assistant is to help scientists and technologists. Lab assistants are assigned to prepare and monitor tests and experiments in research or medical laboratory. They analyze data and establish reports based on test results. Also, they set up the tools and equipment used in the lab. It is also part of their job to clean the lab rooms--knowledge in lab management, communication skills, attention to detail, and medical-related management.

Medical record coder vs assistant laboratory technician salary

Medical record coders and assistant laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Record Coder	Assistant Laboratory Technician
Average salary	$54,162	$35,556
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $75,000	Between $21,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	-	Manchester, NH
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Patterson-UTI Energy
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between medical record coder and assistant laboratory technician education

There are a few differences between a medical record coder and an assistant laboratory technician in terms of educational background:

	Medical Record Coder	Assistant Laboratory Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Biology
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Maryland - College Park

Medical record coder vs assistant laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical record coders' and assistant laboratory technicians' demographics:

	Medical Record Coder	Assistant Laboratory Technician
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3%	Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.6% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	8%

Differences between medical record coder and assistant laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Medical record coder example responsibilities.

Create documentation education classes to general surgery residents, increasing the leveling of reporting which lead to increase revenues.
Obtain medical records through electronic health records (EHR).
Bill all Medicare, Medicaid, BlueCross, PPO claims electronically.
Maintain the strictest confidentiality and adhere to all HIPAA guidelines and regulations.
Code and charge ER records, apply E/M codes, correct billing errors, and code infusion records.
Process all charges receive from outside services to include CPT, ICD-9, or any other necessary information.

Assistant laboratory technician example responsibilities.

Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
Work with non-gynecological specimens including thin prep, cytospins or formalin and cellient cell blocks.
Work in cytology lab performing prep duties of surgical fluids, FNA aspirates and pap smears.
Verify test requirements utilizing LIS.
Obtain insurance authorization and provide patients resources regarding insurance coverage and financial responsibilities.
Collect, identify, categorize, and analyze bodily fluids relate to non-gynecological cytology.

Medical record coder vs assistant laboratory technician skills

Common medical record coder skills

Medical Terminology, 12%
Patients, 12%
CPC, 10%
ICD-10-CM, 10%
Physiology, 8%
AHIMA, 8%

Common assistant laboratory technician skills

Patients, 23%
Ladders, 11%
Computer Lab, 8%
Vital Signs, 7%
EKG, 6%
CPR, 5%

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Medical Record Coder vs Assistant Laboratory Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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