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Hospitals
HCA Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente
Medical Records Specialists
Medical records specialists turn patient charts, test results, and treatment notes into the coded records hospitals and insurers use for billing, reporting, and research. The job sits right between clinical documentation and reimbursement, so the real challenge is doing fast, accurate work without letting coding rules or privacy mistakes slip.
Also known as Medical Records TechnicianHealth Information TechnicianMedical Coding TechnicianHealth Information SpecialistCoding Technician
Median Salary
$50,250
Mean $55,970
U.S. Workforce
~188K
14.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+7.1%
194.8K to 208.6K
Entry Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Medical Records Specialists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~188K workers, with a median annual pay of $50,250 and roughly 14.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 194.8 K in 2024 to 208.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Postsecondary nondegree award in health information technology or medical coding, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Health Information Clerk and can progress toward Health Information Supervisor. High-value skills usually include ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS & CPT Coding, Electronic Health Records (Epic, Oracle Health/Cerner), and Medical Terminology & Anatomy, paired with soft skills such as Attention to Detail, Organization, and Confidentiality.
Core Responsibilities
- Review patient charts and assign the right billing and diagnosis codes.
- Enter patient details, treatment notes, and diagnosis information into computer systems.
- Look up disease and coding rules in reference manuals when a record is unclear.
- Prepare insurance billing information and related government or business forms.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Review patient charts and assign the right billing and diagnosis codes.
02 Enter patient details, treatment notes, and diagnosis information into computer systems.
03 Look up disease and coding rules in reference manuals when a record is unclear.
04 Prepare insurance billing information and related government or business forms.
05 Sort, store, and retrieve health records so staff can find the right information quickly.
06 Check for missing or inconsistent information and follow up with staff when records need to be corrected.
Industries That Hire
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Physician Offices and Outpatient Clinics
One Medical, CityMD, ChenMed
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Health Insurance and Claims Processing
UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, Humana
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Health IT and EHR Vendors
Epic Systems, Oracle Health, athenahealth
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Long-Term Care and Rehabilitation
Brookdale Senior Living, Genesis HealthCare, Encompass Health
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The job is relatively easy to enter: BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical starting point, with no work experience or on-the-job training required.
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Pay is solid for a short-training healthcare job, with a median annual wage of $50,250 and a mean of $55,970.
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Demand is steady rather than flashy, with employment projected to rise 7.1% and about 14.2 thousand openings a year.
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The work is concrete and measurable: you can see the result when records are complete, codes are accepted, and claims move through.
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It can be a good fit for people who want healthcare work without direct patient care.
Challenges
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The pay ceiling is fairly modest compared with clinical healthcare jobs, so advancement usually requires extra credentials or a move into supervision.
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A lot of the work is repetitive and rule-based, which can make the day feel like a long run of chart review and data entry.
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Accuracy matters more than speed, because a coding mistake can delay payment, create denial paperwork, or distort hospital data.
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The role is exposed to automation and workflow software, since EHR systems and coding tools keep taking over routine record tasks.
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Rules change often across insurers, government programs, and code sets, so you have to keep learning just to stay current.
Career Progression
Health Information Clerk
0-2 years
$32K-$41K
Learns recordkeeping systems, scans or files documents, and handles simpler data-entry work under close supervision.
Medical Records Specialist
1-4 years
$44K-$58K
Reviews patient records, assigns codes, and prepares the information hospitals and insurers need for billing and reporting.
Senior Medical Records Specialist THIS ROLE
4-7 years
$59K-$75K
Handles more complex cases, checks other staff's work, and works through difficult coding or documentation problems.
Health Information Supervisor
7-12 years
$76K-$97K
Leads a team, sets workflow standards, and makes sure records meet privacy, billing, and quality rules.
Education Paths
Postsecondary nondegree award in health information technology or medical coding
The standard entry point for this role, usually a short certificate or diploma program rather than a full degree.
Associate degree in health information technology
A stronger academic option that can make it easier to move into coding-heavy or lead roles, especially when paired with hands-on practice.
Professional coding certification
A practical alternative path for people who want to specialize in coding and billing, especially if they already work in a medical office or hospital setting.
Key Skills
Technical
ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS & CPT Coding 95%
Electronic Health Records (Epic, Oracle Health/Cerner) 90%
Medical Terminology & Anatomy 88%
DRG Assignment Software 84%
HIPAA Privacy & Health Information Compliance 82%
Microsoft Excel & Spreadsheet Tracking 75%
Insurance Billing & Claims Forms 72%
Health Record Indexing & Data Management Systems 70%
Soft Skills
Attention to DetailOrganizationConfidentialityTime ManagementAnalytical ThinkingClear Written Communication Job Outlook and Trends
+7.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
14.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 194.8K to 208.6 K over the next decade, representing 7.1% growth. Around 14.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.