Records Administrators and Technicians

Records Administrators and Technicians

Records Administrators and Technicians

While both categories seem the same, they are very different. The RHIA ( Registered Health Information Administrator) is actually qualified to deal with all areas of patient records. They possess comprehensive knowledge of medical, administrative, ethical and legal requirements and standards. They often manage people and the units for which they work. They are a critical link between health care providers, payers and the patients. They are experts in their field, and have a great knowledge of information systems, analyzing patient records and using classification systems. They need a degree from an accredited program.

The RHIT ( Registered Health Information Technician) has some of the training as the RHIA, but they are not in a management position. They insurance the accuracy, completeness, and proper entry into the computer system. They often specialize in the area of coding diagnoses, and procedures in patient records used for research and reimbursement. With experience and advanced training, they are able to advance into the management fields. They also need a degree from an accredited program.

With a RHIA, you need 30 CEU’s (Continuing Education Credits) for recertification, and with RHIT, you only need 20 CEU’s for recertification. An RHIT is only required to have an Associate’s Degree, and a RHIA is required to have a Bachelor’s Degree. They need to be recertified every two years to maintain their titles. While taking the accreditation test, it might not be a requirement for all positions, it tells the employers that you have graduated from an accredited program and that you have some knowledge in that area.