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:
- Fill out admission and discharge records for patients entering and leaving military hospitals
- Assign patients to hospital rooms
- Prepare daily reports about patients admitted and discharged
- Organize, file, and maintain medical records
- Prepare reports about physical examinations, illnesses, and treatments
- Prepare tables of medical statistics
- Maintain libraries of medical publications
Helpful Attributes
Helpful school subjects include general science and business administration. Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to communicate well
- Interest in using computers and other office machines
- Interest in work requiring accuracy and attention to detail
Training Provided
Job training consists of classroom instruction. Training length varies depending on specialty. Course content typically includes:
- Basic computer skills
- Medical terminology
- Medical records preparation and maintenance
- Maintenance of medical libraries
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.
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.
