Medical Records & Health Info Techs
Medical Records & Health Info Techs
Career Overview
Health information technicians manage health related information by maintaining its accuracy and security in paper and electronic forms. They may also code information for insurance companies, making sure that they receive proper payments for the services that were performed.
Education
Health information technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, although some may need an associate’s degree. Certification is often required.
Future Outlook
Employment of medical records and health information technicians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. An aging population will require more medical services, and health information technicians will be needed to organize and manage the older generations’ health information data. This will mean more claims for reimbursement from insurance companies.
Work Environment
Medical records and health information technicians typically work in offices and may spend many hours in front of computer monitors. Some technicians may work from home.
Recommended High School Courses
- Biology
- Math
- Computer Science
- Anatomy
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Monitor medical facility activities to ensure adherence to standards or regulations.
- Process healthcare paperwork.
- Perform clerical work in medical settings.
- Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
- Maintain medical facility records.
- Present medical research reports.
- Process medical billing information.
- Record patient medical histories.
- Manage healthcare operations.
- Supervise medical support personnel.
- Prepare official health documents or records.
- Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
- Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
- Prepare healthcare training materials.
Schools
Schools
Approx Salary Expectation
References
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.