Medical records administrator vs clinical manager

The differences between medical records administrators and clinical managers 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 manager. Additionally, a clinical manager has an average salary of $84,066, 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 manager are patients, customer service, and home health.

Medical records administrator vs clinical manager overview

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Manager
Yearly salary	$80,519	$84,066
Hourly rate	$38.71	$40.42
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	103,325	81,863
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
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 manager do?

A clinical manager is responsible for monitoring medical procedures and administrative duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations in a healthcare facility. Clinical managers manage the facility's staffing needs, evaluate budget reports, assist healthcare professionals on administering medical duties, and develop strategic procedures to optimize treatments and maximize productivity. A clinical manager enforces strict sanitary and safety regulations for everyone's strict compliance. They also need to have excellent knowledge of the medical industry to promote medical processes and provide the highest quality care.

Medical records administrator vs clinical manager salary

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

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Manager
Average salary	$80,519	$84,066
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $108,000	Between $55,000 And $128,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Delaware	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Long Island, FQHC, Inc	Genentech
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between medical records administrator and clinical manager education

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

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Medical records administrator vs clinical manager demographics

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

	Medical Records Administrator	Clinical Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8%	Male, 22.6% Female, 77.4%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between medical records administrator and clinical manager 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 manager example responsibilities.

Track and manage IRB approvals.
Lead a team of 25 patient service coordinators and receptionists.
Manage and lead teams consisting of multiple internal departments as well as CRO and other vendors.
Manage data for research project billing and accountability for drug study product in accordance with FDA regulations.
Manage studies in association with the lead CRA to ensure all project expectations and milestones are meet.
Manage all facets of daily operations relating to imaging services, radiation therapy, and medical oncology services.

Medical records administrator vs clinical manager skills

Common medical records administrator skills

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

Common clinical manager skills

Patients, 19%
Customer Service, 8%
Home Health, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Quality Patient Care, 5%
Patient Education, 3%

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Medical Records Administrator
Medical Records Administrator vs Clinical Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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