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The differences between medical records managers 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 manager and a health information specialist. Additionally, a medical records manager has an average salary of $75,232, which is higher than the $33,343 average annual salary of a health information specialist.
The top three skills for a medical records manager include patients, HIPAA and patient care. The most important skills for a health information specialist are patients, HIPAA, and medical terminology.
| Medical Records Manager | Health Information Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $75,232 | $33,343 |
| Hourly rate | $36.17 | $16.03 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 54,997 | 135,448 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
The main job of a medical records manager is to secure and maintain electronic and written data within a medical records department. Medical records managers retrieve patient records for medical personnel and physicians. They supervise the department's employees. It is their responsibility to document a patient's health information, which may include symptoms, histories, and exam results. They ensure that the confidentiality of patients will follow the proper record-keeping practices. Also, they manage electronic health records and computer software.
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 managers and health information specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Records Manager | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average salary | $75,232 | $33,343 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $111,000 | Between $25,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Amazon | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical records manager and a health information specialist in terms of educational background:
| Medical Records Manager | Health Information Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between medical records managers' and health information specialists' demographics:
| Medical Records Manager | Health Information Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9% | Male, 15.1% Female, 84.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.2% 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% |