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The differences between medical service technicians and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a medical service technician has an average salary of $37,943, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a medical service technician include patients, customer service and vital signs. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Medical Service Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,943 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $18.24 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 189,362 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 36 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A medical service technician provides health care and treatments to patients under the supervision or directives of a more experienced physician. Most of their responsibilities revolve around assessing a patient's condition, administering required aid, diagnosing patients, conducting check-ups, and counseling patients. There are also instances when a medical service technician may prescribe medications, conduct inspections at facilities to ensure sanitary conditions, and coordinate with hospital staff for requesting supplies. Furthermore, it is crucial to have accurate documentation of all processes and transactions, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and standards.
A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.
Medical service technicians and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Service Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,943 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $61,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salem, MA | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Sunrise Systems | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a medical service technician and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Service Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Virginia | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between medical service technicians' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Medical Service Technician | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 36 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.8% Female, 69.2% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 4.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |