Medical Records Specialist

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2021, medical records specialists earned a median pay of $46,660 per year, or $22.43 per hour.

Specialists typically work full time in healthcare facilities that are always open, such as hospitals. Specialists may work shifts, including nights or weekends. Duties typically include:

• Review patients’ records for timeliness, completeness, and accuracy
• Use classification systems to assign clinical codes for patients’ diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and related information
• Maintain and retrieve records for insurance reimbursement and data analysis
• Electronically record data for collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and reporting
• Ensure confidentiality of patients’ records

Medical records specialists typically need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, although some qualify with a high school diploma. Others might need an associate’s degree. Certification may be required or preferred.