Medical records technicians might also be called coders, coding specialists or coding representatives. These professionals "abstract information from medical record documentation, assigning the appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes," says Lisa Manesis, coding quality coordinator at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. "These codes are then used for a number of different purposes including, among others, reimbursement, planning, research, and by public health officials to track and monitor disease patterns."

Traci Avis, who is a coding representative at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, knew she wanted to work in the health care field but she also knew that patient care wasn’t for her. "I’m way too emotional," she explains.

However, the medical records domain appealed to her. For Avis, it was a way to work in health care without handling difficult diagnoses or heart-wrenching diseases.

To be in this field you need to be extremely detail-oriented and motivated, rather than discouraged, by continual change. Health care reform, advances in technology, the migration from paper to electronic health records and increased regulatory compliance make this an ever-evolving profession. Manesis says, "We’re in an unprecedented time in health care, which can be kind of scary. But I love that challenge."

The aging population, who will require more and more medical services, is driving this demand for more health care professionals, including medical records technicians.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.5% employment growth for medical records technicians between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 16,500 jobs should open up.

To become a medical records technician, you need an associate degree or postsecondary certificate in health information technology or a similar field. These will likely include courses like medical terminology, anatomy, health care reimbursement methods, and classification and coding systems. Most employers also want their medical records technicians to get a professional certification, such as the Registered Health Information Technician certification through the American Health Information Management Association.