Medical records analyst vs medical records clerk

The differences between medical records analysts and medical records clerks 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 medical records clerk. Additionally, a medical records analyst has an average salary of $73,609, which is higher than the $32,491 average annual salary of a medical records clerk.

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

Medical records analyst vs medical records clerk overview

	Medical Records Analyst	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$73,609	$32,491
Hourly rate	$35.39	$15.62
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	61,145	129,998
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a medical records analyst do?

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.

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 analyst vs medical records clerk salary

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

	Medical Records Analyst	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$73,609	$32,491
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $101,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Manchester, CT	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	Mayo Clinic	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between medical records analyst and medical records clerk education

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

	Medical Records Analyst	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Business	Health Care Administration
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Medical records analyst vs medical records clerk demographics

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

	Medical Records Analyst	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 19.8% Female, 80.2%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
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, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical records analyst and medical records clerk duties and responsibilities

Medical records analyst example responsibilities.

Implement policies and procedures to achieve optimum DRG reimbursement.
Manage and transfer health records as requested following HIPAA regulations and internal procedures.
Attend state and local AHIMA, Medicare, CPT-4 and ICD-9 meetings/seminars.
Support user on ICU units.
Write appeals for claim denials.
Head up the ICD-10-CM preparation project.

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 analyst vs medical records clerk skills

Common medical records analyst skills

Patients, 24%
Patient Care, 8%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Data Entry, 7%
HIPAA, 5%
CPT, 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 Analyst
Medical Records Analyst vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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