Unit secretary vs medical records clerk

The differences between unit secretaries and medical records clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a unit secretary, becoming a medical records clerk takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical records clerk has an average salary of $32,491, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a unit secretary include patients, patient care and medical terminology. The most important skills for a medical records clerk are patients, customer service, and data entry.

Unit secretary vs medical records clerk overview

	Unit Secretary	Medical Records Clerk
Yearly salary	$32,153	$32,491
Hourly rate	$15.46	$15.62
Growth rate	-8%	11%
Number of jobs	69,543	129,998
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Associate Degree, 29%
Average age	49	45
Years of experience	2	12

What does a unit secretary do?

Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.

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.

Unit secretary vs medical records clerk salary

Unit secretaries and medical records clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Secretary	Medical Records Clerk
Average salary	$32,153	$32,491
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between unit secretary and medical records clerk education

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

	Unit Secretary	Medical Records Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Associate Degree, 29%
Most common major	Nursing	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	University of Pennsylvania

Unit secretary vs medical records clerk demographics

Here are the differences between unit secretaries' and medical records clerks' demographics:

	Unit Secretary	Medical Records Clerk
Average age	49	45
Gender ratio	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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 unit secretary and medical records clerk duties and responsibilities

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

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.

Unit secretary vs medical records clerk skills

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

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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Unit Secretary
Unit Secretary vs Medical Records Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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