Career Overview
Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.
Also Known As
- Health Information Technician (Health Information Tech)
- Medical Records Clerk
- Medical Records Coordinator
- Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
Alternate Job Titles
- Certified Coding Specialist
- Certified Medical Coder
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Clinical Documentation Specialist
- Clinical Office Technician (Clinical Office Tech)
- Coder
- Coding Consultant
- Coding Specialist
- Disability Rater
- Electronic Health Records Specialist (EHR Specialist)
- Fee Coder
- Health Informatics Specialist
- Health Information Clerk
- Health Information Coder
- Health Information Management Hospital Coder (HIM Hospital Coder)
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- Henry Schein Dentrix
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Tools & Equipment
- 10-key calculators
- Barcode attachment equipment
- Barcode scanners
- Credit card processing machines
- Desktop computers
- Dictaphones
- Encoders
- Flat-top scanners
- Label printers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Laser printers
- Light pens
- Microfiche viewing machines
- Microfilm viewing machines
- Multi-line telephone systems
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $35,780 |
| Median | $50,250 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $80,950 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 187,910
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Medical Transcriptionists
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
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Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $67,310
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
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Medical Assistants
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File Clerks
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $41,270
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

