What Does a Medical Records Administrator Do?

A medical records administrator is responsible for overseeing the medical records systems of a hospital, clinic, or medical center. This may include managing a staff that performs any number of tasks to ensure that medical records are secure and maintained in accordance with any applicable standards or regulations. Administrators must plan and direct the work of staff members and provide any necessary training. The type of medical record keeping and the systems used are often determined by the administrator. A medical records administrator must be able to maintain good working relationships with attorneys, legal personnel, government agency officials, and other professionals in order to ensure payment.

One of the most important aspects of this position is the planning, directing and evaluation of the medical records staff activities. A medical records administrator will typically interview people to fill various staff positions or make recommendations on hiring staff. Providing guidance or taking disciplinary action are also be a large part of the daily responsibilities for this job. The administrator may also train staff members to perform their particular duties and in the many regulations regarding maintenance of medical records, confidentiality, retention, processing and release of records.

Another responsibility of a medical records administrator is the formulation of proper procedures and policies regarding the content, confidentiality, and processing of medical records. This may require using a digital or automated medical records archival system, preparing summary reports for management, and formulating procedures regarding the retention of medical records provided by managed care providers. A medical records administrator may also choose outside vendor service providers which are necessary for copying and transcription of medical records and ensuring that these vendors comply with regulations regarding the privacy of patient information. In order to stay on top of the latest methods and regulations applicable to medical records, an administrator may also need to attend ongoing training and maintain credentials as a registered health information administrator.

A medical records administrator must be able to comprehend and interpret applicable laws and regulations that concern processing methods and confidentiality. Administrators must be able to deal with attorneys, government officials, professional peers, and even the general public on a regular basis. This requires an administrator to be able to communicate effectively with many different people. One of the biggest responsibilities of this job is ensuring the confidentiality of the information contained in medical. Compliance with laws regulations concerning medical records ensures proper and timely payment or reimbursement of charges and fees by third-party payers.