What Does a Medical Records Technician Do?

Most employers require a high school diploma or equivalent and either postsecondary education or previous experience. The most common path to this career is earning an associate degree from an accredited health information technology program at a community college. Another path is to complete a certificate program at a technical school. 

Both are likely to include courses such as medical terminology, anatomy, health data standards, coding systems, reimbursement methods, statistics and computer systems. Those who want to advance their careers further can earn a bachelor’s degree in health information management.

Employers look for job candidates with certification. Two of the most common certifications are Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administration (RHIA). They are both offered through the American Health Information Management Association. 

Certificate programs typically last six to nine months. An associate degree program can take anywhere from 15 months to two years.

They work in hospitals, physicians' offices and any type of medical clinic that handles a large volume of patient records. 

Yes. As with other medical support roles, more technicians will be needed as health centers handle more information. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growth of 9% from 2020 to 2030 for this career.

• Excellent communication skills
• Detail-oriented
• Good customer service skills
• Works well in a team environment
• Good problem-solving skills
• Calm under pressure and patient 
• Able to multitask

This career has a high impact from AI because data entry and record-keeping can be automated. AI improves coding accuracy and record analysis. Human technicians are still needed for oversight and compliance.