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The differences between medical records technicians and phlebotomy technicians 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 technician and a phlebotomy technician. Additionally, a medical records technician has an average salary of $37,087, which is higher than the $34,725 average annual salary of a phlebotomy technician.
The top three skills for a medical records technician include patients, medical terminology and HIPAA. The most important skills for a phlebotomy technician are patients, infection control, and blood specimens.
| Medical Records Technician | Phlebotomy Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,087 | $34,725 |
| Hourly rate | $17.83 | $16.69 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 67,660 | 107,110 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 18% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A medical records technician is responsible for performing administrative duties, handling patients' medical records for medical purposes. Medical records technicians keep an organized database of patients' information, including medical history, diagnosis, healthcare treatments, laboratory schedules, and insurance details using specific healthcare coding procedures. Medical records technicians must be detail-oriented and highly organizational, especially on maintaining the accuracy and confidentiality of patients' information. This job is critical in the healthcare industry for the doctors' reference and determining treatment costs.
A phlebotomy technician is responsible for conducting the medical procedure of drawing blood samples using extraction tools and other equipment. Phlebotomy technicians label the samples for laboratory examinations, donation testing, and other related purposes. They also inspect and maintain the cleanliness of medical equipment, including sterilization of needles and other tools, to avoid contamination that would affect the accuracy of the results. A phlebotomy technician records fluid tests and procedures for reference and patient examination history.
Medical records technicians and phlebotomy technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Records Technician | Phlebotomy Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,087 | $34,725 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Long Branch, NJ | - |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | - |
| Best paying company | Guidehouse | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a medical records technician and a phlebotomy technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Records Technician | Phlebotomy Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 18% |
| Most common major | Health Care Administration | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between medical records technicians' and phlebotomy technicians' demographics:
| Medical Records Technician | Phlebotomy Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.8% Female, 81.2% | Male, 16.3% Female, 83.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |