Medical and Health Records Technology

Careers in Medical and Health Records Technology

Accurate, secure, accessible and searchable medical and health records are essential for effective and safe patient care. Many of today's hospitals are in the process of converting paper charts and records into digital files that will increase efficiency and reduce errors in the health care process. In order to pursue a career in medical and health records technology, a specialized associate's degree in medical terminology, medical record keeping, medical insurance coding or a similar field is required. In these programs students study the computer software and hardware used in the digitization of hospital records and other medical record keeping technologies. In 2004, median annual earnings for medical records professionals approached $30,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov.