Medical records clerk vs medical clerk

The differences between medical records clerks and medical clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical records clerk, becoming a medical clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical records clerk has an average salary of $32,491, which is higher than the $32,439 average annual salary of a medical clerk.

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

Medical records clerk vs medical clerk overview

	Medical Records Clerk	Medical Clerk
Yearly salary	$32,491	$32,439
Hourly rate	$15.62	$15.60
Growth rate	11%	-8%
Number of jobs	129,998	166,322
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Average age	45	49
Years of experience	12	2

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.

What does a medical clerk do?

A medical clerk works in the administrative area of a medical facility or hospital. The medical clerk collects all patient information and medical records. The clerk also does all the clinic or hospital paperwork and generates reports of all transactions that transpired in a day's work. The medical clerk also processes admission and discharge papers, medical charts, properly file and safeguard all patient records and secure them from unauthorized access. The medical clerk is expected to be highly organized, capable of handling pressure, and has good communication skills.

Medical records clerk vs medical clerk salary

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

	Medical Records Clerk	Medical Clerk
Average salary	$32,491	$32,439
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Alaska	Minnesota
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Brinks Gilson
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between medical records clerk and medical clerk education

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

	Medical Records Clerk	Medical Clerk
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Medical records clerk vs medical clerk demographics

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

	Medical Records Clerk	Medical Clerk
Average age	45	49
Gender ratio	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%	Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical records clerk and medical clerk duties and responsibilities

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 clerk example responsibilities.

Evaluate all EOB's to insure accurate payment is received and when necessary will file appeals to achieve optimal payments.
Follow HIPPA patient confidentiality guidelines making patients or facility have filled proper forms to release records.
File results of laboratory tests, x-rays, EKG's, etc., in patients records.
Respond and resolve patient inquiries with compassion and patience.
Prepare request for EKG tests, eye examinations, audio and dental records.
Enter deficiencies into MediTech program.

Medical records clerk vs medical clerk skills

Common medical records clerk skills

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

Common medical clerk skills

Patients, 32%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Data Entry, 6%
Phone Calls, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Telephone Calls, 3%

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Medical Records Clerk
Medical Records Clerk vs Medical Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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