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The differences between medical records analysts and health information specialists 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 records analyst and a health information specialist. Additionally, a medical records analyst has an average salary of $73,609, which is higher than the $33,343 average annual salary of a health information specialist.
The top three skills for a medical records analyst include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for a health information specialist are patients, HIPAA, and medical terminology.
| Medical Records Analyst | Health Information Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,609 | $33,343 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $16.03 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 61,145 | 135,448 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A medical records analyst oversees healthcare records and data within an organization. Their job duties include creating reports and using records to determine how to better streamline processes. They also need to compile, calculate, audit, verify and organize information. They review the records to ensure they are accurate, interpret billing and payment information, and generate reports to be used by the management for review. The main qualification for this position is a degree in health information management.
A health information specialist is in charge of overseeing and developing strategies to optimize information management procedures in hospitals, physicians' offices, and other similar environments. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering and updating medical records, receiving and organizing files, and updating databases according to the appropriate coding systems and procedures. Furthermore, as a health information specialist, it is essential to coordinate with nurses and other staff to ensure accuracy in documentation, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Medical records analysts and health information specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Records Analyst | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average salary | $73,609 | $33,343 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $101,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Manchester, CT | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Mayo Clinic | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical records analyst and a health information specialist in terms of educational background:
| Medical Records Analyst | Health Information Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between medical records analysts' and health information specialists' demographics:
| Medical Records Analyst | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.8% Female, 80.2% | Male, 15.1% Female, 84.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |