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Records coordinator vs medical record assistant

The differences between records coordinators and medical record assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a records coordinator and a medical record assistant. Additionally, a records coordinator has an average salary of $40,360, which is higher than the $34,870 average annual salary of a medical record assistant.

The top three skills for a records coordinator include customer service, data entry and patients. The most important skills for a medical record assistant are patients, data entry, and HIPAA.

Records coordinator vs medical record assistant overview

Records CoordinatorMedical Record Assistant
Yearly salary$40,360$34,870
Hourly rate$19.40$16.76
Growth rate11%11%
Number of jobs25,06091,238
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age4545
Years of experience1212

What does a records coordinator do?

A records coordinator takes responsibility for doing administrative and clerical work. Records coordinators maintain the filing system of the central records. They monitor, post, and process university forms for personnel and budgetary actions. It is their job to maintain an organized central filing system. They must know the requirements applicable to their organization. There are certain skills every records coordinator should acquire. Some of them are skills in procurement management, organizational, negotiation, finance and accounting, and analytical.

What does a medical record assistant do?

A medical record assistant is responsible for the proper documentation of the patients' information and medical records for reference to the attending physician or other medical professionals. Medical record assistants also track the patient's medical treatments and progress, as well as their health insurance details and coverage. They also respond to the patient's inquiries and concerns, including scheduling physician's appointments and updating the patients for any released medical results. A medical record assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, categorizing documents, and retrieving files for medical needs.

Records coordinator vs medical record assistant salary

Records coordinators and medical record assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Records CoordinatorMedical Record Assistant
Average salary$40,360$34,870
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $53,000Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest paying CityTrenton, NJNapa, CA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyAlaska
Best paying companyThe American Musical and Dramatic AcademyNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryEnergyGovernment

Differences between records coordinator and medical record assistant education

There are a few differences between a records coordinator and a medical record assistant in terms of educational background:

Records CoordinatorMedical Record Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Records coordinator vs medical record assistant demographics

Here are the differences between records coordinators' and medical record assistants' demographics:

Records CoordinatorMedical Record Assistant
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 26.7% Female, 73.3%Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.5% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between records coordinator and medical record assistant duties and responsibilities

Records coordinator example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain appropriate information in the electronic case file as required by federal, state, and HIPAA regulations.
  • Manage SharePoint site used for routing management approvals.
  • Assist DoD and contract personnel in digitizing intelligence onto secure severs for use by senior DoD agencies.
  • Maintain forms inventory in preparation for the EHR.
  • Forward records/documents as requested by FDA staff and outside vendors.
  • Perform software validation testing and QA testing for new CAPA system implementation.
  • Show more

Medical record assistant example responsibilities.

  • Lead special department-wide task force initiative to minimize abuse of Oxycontin prescriptions bill to Medicaid.
  • Manage and organize all paperwork concerning caregivers and patients; organize filing system; ensure operation of electronic filing systems.
  • Work with EHR, provide medical records to patients and specialty centers.
  • Guide department through transition from paper charts to EHR system scan all patient records into database.
  • Scan documents into electronic medical records system and certify HIPAA compliance
  • Implement HIPAA guidelines in keeping patient information secure and confidential.
  • Show more

Records coordinator vs medical record assistant skills

Common records coordinator skills
  • Customer Service, 24%
  • Data Entry, 20%
  • Patients, 16%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Hard Copy, 3%
  • Subpoenas, 3%
Common medical record assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Data Entry, 8%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
  • Medical Terminology, 3%

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