OVERVIEW
What is a Medical Records Manager?
Medical records managers serve as gatekeepers who safeguard all patient medical documentation. They regularly manage, search through, and secure patient medical records on behalf of hospitals, outpatient clinics, medical centers, and any other facility responsible for patient care.
A clear path to a job in health information management, medical records manager careers are ideal for individuals with a passion for healthcare and astute attention to detail. One of several notable healthcare management positions, medical records managers must possess an understanding of data collection and storage, database technology, and the healthcare industry.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Medical Records Manager Do?
Medical records managers fulfill a wide variety of responsibilities daily, mostly related to the management and protection of all patient medical records. These individual responsibilities can include:
- Maintaining patient data as records develop.
- Supervising any employees using patient medical data for any reason.
- Managing records databases and ensuring their availability for continued use by medical staff.
- Communicating with healthcare personnel who will potentially access patient medical documentation.
- Keeping medical records secure, via online encryption, password protection, and secure filing practices.
- Retrieving patient medical records whenever approved healthcare staff need them.
- Adding to patient medical files whenever their details need to be updated or changed.
These and other duties define the day-to-day tasks for which a medical records manager may be responsible.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How Do I Become a Medical Records Manager?
Students interested in becoming medical records managers must first obtain a bachelor’s degree, in addition to any related certifications. This education regimen often includes a degree from an online nursing or health program.
Medical records managers must become familiar with both a healthcare setting, and with the necessary record-keeping practices that will define their day-to-day practices. At a minimum, a medical records manager will need to receive an undergraduate degree in health information management. This type of degree program will review both the healthcare fundamentals involved in medical records, as well as the technical aspect and software systems that record managers will need to know in order to be successful.
Best Degrees for a Medical Records Manager
Health & Nursing
Health Information Management – B.S.
A program designed for future leaders in HIM....
A program designed for future leaders in HIM.
- Time: 61% of grads earned this degree in 36 months or less.
- Tuition: $4,210 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 36 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Medical Terminology
- Healthcare System Applications
- Health Information Law and Regulations
- Healthcare Project Management
- Data Analytics and Information Governance
This CAHIIM-accredited program makes you eligible for the RHIA exam.
The best degree for a Medical Records Manager is a bachelor of science in health information management. In fact, 92% of students who enroll in our program pass with their full accreditations and are ready to enter the healthcare workforce immediately, with the majority finishing their program in just 36 months.
How Much Does a Medical Records Manager Make?
$47,180
According to the BLS, the median salary for a medical records manager is $47,180. The precise salary of a medical records manager also depends on their location of employment.
What Is the Projected Job Growth?
8%
Employment rates for medical records and health information managers are expected to increase 8% by 2032 according to BLS data. This expansion is much higher than forecasted averages across all occupations.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Medical Records Manager Need?
The career of a medical records manager is also defined by a variety of necessary skills, mostly concerning the safe maintenance of patient medical records. These individual skills can include:
- Database operations proficiency: The ability to use and manage databases containing patient medical health records.
- Patient documentation proficiency: The ability to accurately record patient information, symptoms, statistics, and any other relevant patient data.
- Interpersonal communication: The ability to correspond closely with any healthcare personnel who might require access to personal health records.
- Medical linguistics: The ability to understand and use relevant medical terminology.
- Technological proficiency: The ability to understand all applicable database, software, and hardware programs that contribute to the collection and protection of personal medical records.
- Maintained confidentiality: The ability to sufficiently protect all personal medical records.
These skills are fundamental to a medical records manager daily, and are the result of learned proficiencies in record-keeping, database maintenance, and constant communication with healthcare professionals.
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