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The differences between medical record coders 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 medical record coder and a health information technician. Additionally, a medical record coder has an average salary of $54,162, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a medical record coder include medical terminology, patients and CPC. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Medical Record Coder | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,162 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $26.04 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 51,197 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
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.
Medical record coders and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Record Coder | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,162 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $75,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a medical record coder and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Record Coder | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between medical record coders' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Medical Record Coder | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.7% Female, 87.3% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| 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, 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% |