Medical Record Technicians
Background
Medical records are important for health care delivery. To provide proper treatment, physicians need complete and accurate information about patient symptoms, test results, illnesses, and prior treatments. Medical record technicians prepare and maintain patient records, reports, and correspondence.
What They Do
Medical record technicians in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Assign patients to hospital rooms
- Fill out admission and discharge records for patients entering and leaving military hospitals
- Maintain libraries of medical publications
- Organize, file, and maintain medical records
- Prepare daily reports about patients admitted and discharged
- Prepare reports about physical examinations, illnesses, and treatments
- Prepare tables of medical statistics
Physical Demands
No information available.
Special Requirements
No information available.
Helpful Attributes
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to communicate well
- Interest in using computers and other office machines
- Interest in work requiring accuracy and attention to detail
Helpful School Subjects
Helpful school subjects include:
- Business administration
- General science
Helpful Fields of Study
No information available.
Work Environment
Medical record technicians work in admissions or medical records sections of hospitals and clinics. They work in land-based facilities and aboard ships.
Services offering this career:
- Air Force
- Army
Hiring Practices
To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.
This position is for enlisted personnel.
Wages
The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.
Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay.
Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.
There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.
Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.
Training Provided
Job training consists of six to 18 weeks of classroom instruction. Training length varies depending on specialty.
Course content typically includes:
- Basic computer skills
- Maintenance of medical libraries
- Medical records preparation and maintenance
- Medical terminology
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian medical record technicians usually work for hospitals, clinics, and government health agencies. They perform duties similar to military medical record technicians. However, civilian medical record technicians tend to specialize in areas such as admissions, ward, or outpatient records. Those working in admission or discharge units are called admitting or discharge clerks.
Related Civilian Careers
Employment and Outlook
In peace time the services have about 5,000 medical record technicians. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new technicians due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After training, new technicians are assigned to hospitals or clinics, where they work under close supervision. With experience, they may assume supervisory positions and may manage medical record units or admission or discharge units.