Tumor registrar vs medical records clerk

The differences between tumor registrars and medical records clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a tumor registrar and a medical records clerk. Additionally, a tumor registrar has an average salary of $57,112, which is higher than the $32,491 average annual salary of a medical records clerk.

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

Tumor registrar vs medical records clerk overview

	Tumor Registrar	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$57,112	$32,491
Hourly rate	$27.46	$15.62
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	11,463	129,998
Job satisfaction	5	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a tumor registrar do?

A tumor registrar specializes in documenting tumor cases such as diagnoses and treatments. In hospitals and other medical facilities, they are primarily responsible for coordinating with staff to gather patient information, medical histories, diagnoses, and treatment progress. They must also conduct extensive research and analysis, maintain accurate records, update databases, and participate in developing various programs such as screenings and information drives. Furthermore, as a tumor registrar, it is essential to keep an eye for any errors or inconsistencies, performing corrective measures promptly and professionally.

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.

Tumor registrar vs medical records clerk salary

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

	Tumor Registrar	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$57,112	$32,491
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $81,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between tumor registrar and medical records clerk education

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

	Tumor Registrar	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Health Care Administration
Most common college	Georgetown University	University of Pennsylvania

Tumor registrar vs medical records clerk demographics

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

	Tumor Registrar	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	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%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between tumor registrar and medical records clerk duties and responsibilities

Tumor registrar example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPPA and clinic.
Participate in the cancer program survey by ACoS COC.
Utilize ICD-9-CM, CPT and HCPCS coding systems, and HCC coding.
Train new and inexperience coders on (ICD-9-CM), (CPT) and (HCPCS) code identification.
Experience in CoC accreditation surveys.
Staff onboard training of EHR system.

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.

Tumor registrar vs medical records clerk skills

Common tumor registrar skills

Patients, 25%
Abstracts, 8%
Medical Terminology, 7%
Registrars, 7%
COC, 5%
Seer, 5%

Common medical records clerk skills

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

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Tumor Registrar vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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