Medical records administrator vs clinical director

The differences between medical records administrators and clinical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a medical records administrator and a clinical director. Additionally, a clinical director has an average salary of $96,497, which is higher than the $80,519 average annual salary of a medical records administrator.

The top three skills for a medical records administrator include patients, medical terminology and HIPAA. The most important skills for a clinical director are patients, patient care, and physical therapy.

Medical records administrator vs clinical director overview

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Director
Yearly salary	$80,519	$96,497
Hourly rate	$38.71	$46.39
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	103,325	83,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a medical records administrator do?

Medical records administrators oversee written and electronic medical records and reports. The duties of a medical records administrator are to maintain patient records, collect admission reports, liaise with other medical staff, compile documentation from different medical records, respond to enquiries and records requests from patients and physicians, and create a database for patient records. They are also tasked with ensuring the records comply with all policies protecting patient privacy and confidentiality.

What does a clinical director do?

A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports. They can work either in small clinics with a smaller workforce or larger hospitals with multiple departments. Clinical directors may also assist in the hiring process of healthcare providers and should establish a positive work environment.

Medical records administrator vs clinical director salary

Medical records administrators and clinical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Director
Average salary	$80,519	$96,497
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $108,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Delaware	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Long Island, FQHC, Inc	Sutro Biopharma
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between medical records administrator and clinical director education

There are a few differences between a medical records administrator and a clinical director in terms of educational background:

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Medical records administrator vs clinical director demographics

Here are the differences between medical records administrators' and clinical directors' demographics:

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8%	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between medical records administrator and clinical director duties and responsibilities

Medical records administrator example responsibilities.

Manage medical records in accordance with federal and state HIPAA guidelines, maintaining confidentiality of patient information.
Bill Medicaid and pertinent insurance companies for payment on services.
Respond swiftly to provider questions and ensure claims are processed through MMIS system properly to meet Medicaid eligibility.
Demonstrate knowledge of HIPAA privacy and security regulations by appropriately handling patient information.
Ensure evacuated patients are moved to the appropriate medical treatment facility or warrior transition units.
Interact with patients and associate medical professionals in order to supply and forward correct documentation for clinical visits.

Clinical director example responsibilities.

Develop distinctive ambulatory strategies to achieve and sustain competitive healthcare advantage.
Manage and assist with data collection and input for MDS.
Manage quality of documentation through education and electronic review of clinical processes utilizing HCHB EMR.
Manage front office, marketing, and communication -demonstrated/supervise exercises for patients -Developed instructional packets for home exercise programs
Manage projects and ambulatory system initiatives, and collaborate with system leadership teams to ensure EMR alignment with all regulatory requirements.
Experience in GCP, FDA audits, and regulatory guidance review and implementation.

Medical records administrator vs clinical director skills

Common medical records administrator skills

Patients, 28%
Medical Terminology, 12%
HIPAA, 7%
Patient Care, 7%
Patient Charts, 7%
Transcription, 4%

Common clinical director skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 11%
Physical Therapy, 5%
Social Work, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

Medical Records Administrator vs. similar jobs

Medical Records Administrator related careers

Medical Records Administrator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Executive Management Industry
Medical Records Administrator
Medical Records Administrator vs Clinical Director

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs