Health Information Management Technician Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the health information management technician job description, including the key tasks, duties, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the health information management technician role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Health Information Management Technician Do?

The Health Information Management (HIM) Technician is responsible for compiling, processing, and maintaining patients’ records in hospitals or clinics.

The health information management technician job description entails ensuring all regulatory requirements of the healthcare system are followed when carrying out the duties and responsibilities that may be assigned.

The HIM technician usually works under the supervision of a manager or director or supervisor and uses both electronic and paper in organizing and maintaining patients’ records.

His/her role may vary depending on the area he/she specializes.

In some hospitals, the work description of a health information technician may involve more clerical functions, such as reconciling medical record activities, maintaining records in centralized locations, retrieving charts, and scanning, indexing, and validating records.

Other clerical responsibilities they may perform include coding clerical support, importing images of medical records from outside sources, transcription processing and interface, and qualitative and quantitative review of physicians’ document.

Health information technicians are also responsible for accessing and updating electronic tracking systems in clinics, assisting with continuity of care requests for medical records, and answering telephones.

To be effective in this career, HIM technicians must understand and develop expertise in TGH and external requirements concerning chart documentation and privacy, and chart organization and content.

They must be able to perform their duties adhering to the hospital’s vision, mission, and values.

Health Information Management Technician Job Description Example/Template

Health information technicians perform various functions in effectively maintaining patients’ records in clinics.

Here is an example of job description, consisting of tasks, duties, and responsibilities commonly assigned to HIM technicians in most hospitals:

• Ensure patients’ files are properly maintained and can be retrieved upon request or scheduled appointments
• Perform clerical tasks necessary for the proper maintenance of patients’ medical records
• Prep in-patient, observation, ambulatory, obstetrical, skilled nursing facility, swing, and emergency room records by applying Mee Memorial prepping order; also check for completeness
• Carry out correct reconciliation of all discharged records and ensure necessary follow up for missing documents/records
• Prep, scan/verify, and index all patients’ records within 24 to 48 hours of their discharge
• Perform daily analysis of all SDC, Inpatient, emergency room, and OBS records following established industry operational guidelines and standards
• Immediately enter deficiencies obtained from all records analyzed into the electronic Abstraction/Deficiency module after carrying out analysis
• Ensure the physician properly signs, dates, and completes patients’ records before signing it off as duly completed
• As deem necessary, create new volumes for SNF/Swing patient charts for the first time and make repairs to damaged charts
• Process transcriptions received, including updating M/S discharge summaries into a suitable H&P format for SNF records, and ensure transcription dictations are stamped and filed appropriately
• Arrange in proper order records from the skills nursing facility; set up records for storage, log them into the system, and put them in storage containers
• Scan or make photocopies of records; receive and send information through facsimile machine
• Carry out periodic medical record chart audit and review
• Take telephone calls and provide answers to questions regarding patients’ medical records.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Health Information Management Technician Role

If you are seeking the role of a health information technician in a hospital or clinic, here are major requirements you may be expected to fulfil to be hired:

• Possess Registered Health Information (RHIT) certification or minimum of three years work experience in the health information management services unit of a hospital
• Possess minimum High School Diploma educational background, however, being a college graduate with a degree in medical records technology is preferred by most hirers
• Strong knowledge of medical termination
• Experience working in data entry environment
• Ability to use general office equipment, including telephone, fax machine, copy machine, scanner, computer, and calculator
• Ability to communicate effectively, including reading, writing, and speaking
• Ability to analyze, coordinate, observe, and make good decisions, as well as the ability to be detailed in work delivering, and to meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently and perform excellently on the job without supervision
• Ability to work under stressful condition without being overwhelmed.

Conclusion

The sample job description provided in this post will be useful to you if you are an employer needing to hire for the health information technician job.

You will be able to create a detailed description for the position in your health facility and attract the best candidates for the role.

You will also find this post useful if you are interested in the HIM services career as you will learn all you need to know about the duties and responsibilities of the health information technician, which helps you to be better prepared for the job.