Medical records administrator vs medical records clerk

The differences between medical records administrators and medical records clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a medical records administrator, becoming a medical records clerk takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical records administrator has an average salary of $80,519, which is higher than the $32,491 average annual salary of a medical records clerk.

The top three skills for a medical records administrator include patients, medical terminology and HIPAA. The most important skills for a medical records clerk are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Medical records administrator vs medical records clerk overview

	Medical Records Administrator	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$80,519	$32,491
Hourly rate	$38.71	$15.62
Growth rate	28%	11%
Number of jobs	103,325	129,998
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	47	45
Years of experience	6	12

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 medical records clerk do?

Medical records clerks are employees in hospitals or clinics who manage office records. They are in charge of creating, updating, and filing patient-related medical records and other related documents. They ensure that all documents are correctly filled out and labeled before storing them safely in their respective storage areas. They may also be in charge of digitizing forms for easier access to files and back up purposes. They ensure that medical records are exact and updated. Medical records clerks should be organized and must always be on top of all tasks related to patient or medical records.

Medical records administrator vs medical records clerk salary

Medical records administrators and medical records clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Records Administrator	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$80,519	$32,491
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $108,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Delaware	Alaska
Best paying company	Long Island, FQHC, Inc	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between medical records administrator and medical records clerk education

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

	Medical Records Administrator	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Medical records administrator vs medical records clerk demographics

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

	Medical Records Administrator	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	47	45
Gender ratio	Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	12%	9%

Differences between medical records administrator and medical records clerk 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.

Medical records clerk example responsibilities.

Manage transition from in-house transcription system to outsource transcription service.
Manage front office check-in, insurance verification and certifications from doctors.
Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Perform infant labs and update the system with results, triage incoming patients, perform necessary resuscitation to baby and mom.
Provide information to medical facilities and patients when necessary and respond to subpoenas and other general release of patient information.
Experience in CPT and ICD-10 coding.

Medical records administrator vs medical records clerk skills

Common medical records administrator skills

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

Common medical records clerk skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 9%
Data Entry, 7%
Medical Terminology, 6%
HIPAA, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

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Medical Records Administrator vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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