Healthcare Information Technician

Impact: Patient outcomes, Operational efficiency, Regulatory compliance

Compile, process, and maintain medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the healthcare system. Classify medical and healthcare concepts, including diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment, into the healthcare industry's numerical coding system. Includes medical coders.

What the day looks like

People interaction: Moderate
Team vs solo: Team-oriented
Client facing: Rarely
Impact visibility: Moderate
Travel: None
Schedule flexibility: Structured
Remote work: Hybrid
Typical work hours: 40 hours/week
Stress level: Moderate

At a glance

Median salary: $50,250
Entry-level: $40,000 - $45,000
Senior: $60,000 - $70,000
Growth by 2033: 7% (much faster than average)
Demand: Growing
Freelance potential: Low
Salary growth potential: Moderate
Typical student debt: $10,000 - $20,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

Medical Coding
Electronic Health Records (EHR) Systems
Data Entry
Medical Terminology
HIPAA Compliance
Microsoft Office Suite
Database Management
Billing and Invoicing Software
Information Security
Record Keeping

Soft skills

Attention to Detail
Integrity
Dependability

Technical complexity: Moderate

How to get there

Minimum education: Associate's Degree
Licensing: Optional
Years to mid-career: 3
Years to senior: 7
Career switching: Moderate

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

Where you can go from here

Typical progression

Health Information Management Specialist, Medical Coder, Clinical Documentation Specialist

Future outlook

Automation probability: 15% - low risk due to relationship and judgment components
AI disruption risk: Low
Demand trend: Growing

How people feel about it

Overall satisfaction: 3.2/10
Meaning: 3.5/10
Work-life balance: 3/10
Prestige: 5.5/10
Social perception: Moderate

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