Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars

What the job really is

Apply knowledge of healthcare and information systems to assist in the design, development, and continued modification and analysis of computerized healthcare systems. Abstract, collect, and analyze treatment and followup information of patients. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the healthcare information system. May design, develop, test, and implement databases with complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status to help monitor diseases.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-9021
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
• Compile medical care and census data for statistical reports on diseases treated, surgery performed, or use of hospital beds.
• Design databases to support healthcare applications, ensuring security, performance and reliability.
• Develop in-service educational materials.
• Evaluate and recommend upgrades or improvements to existing computerized healthcare systems.
• Facilitate and promote activities, such as lunches, seminars, or tours, to foster healthcare information privacy or security awareness within the organization.
• Identify, compile, abstract, and code patient data, using standard classification systems.
• Manage the department or supervise clerical workers, directing or controlling activities of personnel in the medical records department.
• Monitor changes in legislation and accreditation standards that affect information security or privacy in the computerized healthcare system.
• Plan, develop, maintain, or operate a variety of health record indexes or storage and retrieval systems to collect, classify, store, or analyze information.
• Prepare statistical reports, narrative reports, or graphic presentations of information, such as tumor registry data for use by hospital staff, researchers, or other users.
• Protect the security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

Tools and technology

Epic Systems, Henry Schein Dentrix, IBM SPSS Statistics, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Medical Records Specialists
• Clinical Data Managers
• Health Informatics Specialists
• Patient Representatives
• Document Management Specialists
• Statistical Assistants
• Computer Systems Analysts
• Database Administrators

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.