Health Information Technician
Health Information Technicians, also known as medical records technicians, play a crucial role in healthcare by managing and organizing medical records. Their responsibilities include compiling patient data such as lab results, medical histories, and treatment plans, ensuring that these records are accurate and accessible to medical personnel, researchers, and insurance companies. Typically employed in hospitals, clinics, and various health organizations, these technicians work in comfortable office environments, though they may occasionally interact with patients and other healthcare staff.
Individuals drawn to this profession often possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities. The role generally requires postsecondary education, often an associate's degree in health information technology, and it offers a promising job outlook with an 8% growth rate in employment. Technicians may specialize in areas such as medical coding, where they classify procedures for billing purposes, or they might help transition records from paper to electronic formats. Given the sensitive nature of the information they handle, health information technicians must uphold strict confidentiality and adhere to privacy regulations. Overall, this career appeals to those interested in the intersection of healthcare and information management.
Health Information Technician
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Health Science, Human Services
Interests: Medical records and terminology, data entry, detailed work, problem solving
Earnings (Yearly Average): $48,780 per year $23.45 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 8% (Faster than average)
Entry-Level Education Postsecondary nondegree award
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job Training None
Overview
Sphere of Work. Health information technicians, sometimes referred to as medical records technicians, maintain medical information systems. They are responsible for the compilation and organization of medical records, including patient lab results, medical histories, and X-rays. Under the direction and supervision of medical records administrators, technicians process and maintain records that may be used and accessed by medical personnel and patients, as well as medical researchers, government inspectors or regulatory agencies, and insurance companies.
Work Environment. Health information technicians spend their workdays in the offices of hospitals, medical or dental practices, rehabilitation facilities, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, government health agencies, and medical laboratories. The vast majority work in general medical and surgical hospitals. Technicians generally work forty-hour weeks but may be required to work evening or night shifts to meet the facility’s constant need to access medical records.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the profession of health information technician tend to be organized and detail-oriented. They must be accurate and thorough, with the ability to identify and solve problems quickly. Health information technicians should be self-motivated and enjoy working in a medical environment.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. Health information technicians are responsible for the compilation, organization, and maintenance of medical records. These records may include lab results, medical histories, physical exam reports, X-rays, prescriptions, treatment plans and orders, and records of surgeries and hospitalizations. Technicians enter patient data into medical information systems, review the records for accuracy and completeness, and report any errors or omissions in medical records, at times requesting additional information from medical professionals and administrators. They then respond to requests for specific records by providing access or copies to medical personnel or patients. They may also respond to information requests from researchers studying various diseases or injuries, regulatory agencies inspecting the facility, or insurance companies verifying claims.
Some health information technicians choose to specialize in a particular area of record-keeping. Those working in medical coding are responsible for assigning standardized classifications to procedures noted in medical records, which can then be easily interpreted by insurance companies for billing and reimbursement purposes. Other specialists may update national disease databases, such as the patient cancer registry, with patient information and pathology data.
Health information technicians may also work with their supervisors to create and implement practices and procedures for health information organization, classification, analysis, and retrieval. They may assist in the transition from paper medical records to electronic health records. Experienced technicians may also train office staff in electronic health record software.
As the work involves constant handling of private medical information, technicians must ensure the confidentiality and security of records within the medical information system. All health information technicians, regardless of specialty, are responsible for educating themselves about the administrative, physical, and technical patient privacy safeguards included in the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Health information technicians generally work in comfortable offices within hospitals, medical or dental practices, rehabilitation facilities, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, government health agencies, and medical laboratories. Although their interaction with patients is generally minimal, they may risk exposure to infectious diseases.
Human Environment. Health information technicians should be comfortable interacting with physicians, insurance representatives, laboratory staff, government inspectors, office staff, supervising medical records administrators, and patients. Due to the sensitive nature of medical diagnosis and treatment, health information technicians must be empathetic and tactful when interacting with patients and their families and must uphold patient confidentiality.
Technological Environment. In the course of their work, health information technicians use a wide variety of tools and equipment, including computers, electronic medical records software, medical coding charts, insurance rate charts and books, printers, calculators, photocopying machines, telephones, word processing software, facsimile machines, and scanners. Some technicians, particularly those specializing in coding, may need to have a basic understanding of medical equipment in order to categorize procedures properly.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career as a health information technician should study typing and bookkeeping, which will provide a strong foundation for work in the field. Students interested in this career path may benefit from seeking volunteer positions, administrative internships, or part-time clerical work with local hospitals or other medical facilities.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming health information technicians should obtain an associate’s degree in health information technology, medical secretarial science, or a related field from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Coursework in medical terminology, mathematics, and business may also prove useful. Students can gain work experience and a potential advantage in their future job searches by securing administrative internships or part-time clerical employment with medical facilities.
Related Occupations
− Clinical Laboratory Technologist
− Medical Records Administrator
Bibliography
"Medical Records and Health Information Technicians." Occupational Outlook Handbook. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023 29-9021 Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars." US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 3 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes299021.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.