Medical Records Technicians

One Career Recording a Healthy Outlook

Medical records technicians, also known as health information technicians, offer a career opportunity for those who wish to work in the health care industry in a role not directly related to patient care.

Medical records/health information technicians work in hospitals, physician offices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), community health centers and among other organizations. Job duties vary depending on the size and structure of the employer company, but generally, duties include compiling, processing, and maintaining medical records in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system to make them easily transferable between doctors, insurance providers, and the rest of the medical staff.

The number of Medical Records Technicians is expected to increase by 22 percent between 2018 and 2028 with an annual opening of 379 in the Gulf Coast region!

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians have a median annual salary comparable to median for all occupations in the Gulf Coast but can earn as much as $15,000 a year more with experience!

Job opportunities are available in a wide range of healthcare related industries and even educational institutions.

Start Early and Be Prepared

High School Endorsement: Public Service | STEM

High school students should strive for a high GPA. This will provide them with an edge needed for acceptance in and successful completion of a medical records/health information technician program.

How do you become a Medical Records Technician?

Though this career path does not need a postsecondary degree, it will require some training and education. Most employers prefer to hire registered health information technicians (RHIT). A written examination is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) for graduates of a two-year associate degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Experienced medical records and health information technicians are able to advance their careers by moving into supervisory positions or by specializing in Medicare coding or cancer registry. Advancement into a higher administrative position usually requires a bachelor's degree in medical records and health information administration.  Additional information about obtaining medical records and health information technician credentials is available from the AHIMA along with a list of programs accredited by CAHIIM.

Helpful Tech to Get Ahead

• Analytical or Scientific Software: Minitab, SAS, SPSS, or StataCorp Stata
• Data Base Reporting Software: Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services or SAP Crystal Reports
• Medical Software: Epic Systems, Medical condition coding software, Medical procedure coding software, or MEDITECH software
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software: SAP Business Objects
• Microsoft Office Suite: Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft WOrd, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Microsoft Excel

Medical Records Technician Programs Accredited by CAHIIM

Community Colleges

• College of the Mainland
• Houston Community College
• Lee College
• Lone Star College
• San Jacinto College
• Wharton County Junior College

Universities

• Texas Southern University

Major Employers in the Gulf Coast Region

• Harris County Hospital District
• HCA Healthcare
• DaVita Health Care Partners
• Houston VA Medical Center
• Kelsey-Seybold Clinic
• Memorial Hermann Healthcare System The Methodist Hospital
• Oak Bend Medical Center
• St. Lukes Episcopal Health System
• Shriners Hospital for Children
• Thenet Health Care
• Texas Children's Hospital
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
• The University of Texas Medical Branch

If you have questions about our Industry/Occupation Profiles or are an organization in the Gulf Coast Region, please contact webmaster@wrksolutions.com.

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