5 Skills to Have as a Medical Records Technician
Just like every other organization in the world, healthcare industries also need strong management and administration that keeps them running smoothly. It only makes sense because they need to record and maintain large amounts of information on patients, services, and finances.
Medical records technicians meet the administrative needs of huge metropolitan hospitals and small private clinics. They work with doctors and nurses and enable them to deliver effective treatment by maintaining an organized workspace in hospitals and other medical facilities.
In this section, we will cover a general role description of medical records techs and the skills you might need to become one.
Role Description of a Medical Records Technician
Your medical record includes information about your medical history, diagnostic test results, treatment plans, and medication details. All this information has to be reviewed, identified, signed, organized, and maintained in the correct place; for which a medical records technician is responsible.
These individuals sometimes go by the name of health information technicians and work under the direction of a medical administrator. Their job is to ensure that the information they have sorted is compliant with laws, healthcare policies of their hospital, and insurance companies' regulations.
Becoming a Certified Medical Records Technician
To become a medical records tech, you have to obtain a degree in health management systems. Several schools prepare you for the role by offering associate degrees that provide training in administration, information science, medical terminology, or digital systems.
Although it is not a compulsion, most employers prefer candidates with a certificate in information technology. Today, when most of the data is in a digital form, familiarity with technology boosts your curriculum vitae. Likewise, you can always look for additional certifications in health management to attach to your CV and land better career opportunities.
List of Basic Skills that Every Medical Records Tech Needs to Build
Working in the medical records department requires you to be swift and smooth because you will have a thousand files within your charge. Here we have a list of medical records technician skills that will help you fit in with your job easily:
1. Orientation to Detail
Medical documentation contains a lot of intricacies, hence every single detail makes a difference. If a single detail goes overlooked, it can cost someone their life.
So, while working in the records department, you will have to keep your eyes wide open and pay attention to every single detail and document it no matter how minor. Not only this, you should be able to attend to multiple requests with the same level of attention because your job demands it.
2. Effective Communication Skills
Just like every position in the healthcare sector, a medical records tech should be able to communicate with doctors and nurses effectively. Communication includes carefully listening to what they require from you and conveying the request in the best possible way.
Most of the time, you will be communicating with multiple people simultaneously, so you must learn to prioritize also.
3. Organization and Management
You might have a time constraint on most requests, so it makes sense that you must be effective at organizing the medical documentation within the given limit. Effective management requires you to prioritize, multitask, and stay organized to meet narrow deadlines.
You will be in charge of the data, so you must arrange it in a manner convenient to retrieve in emergencies. No one is born that way, but you will gradually get better at your job with enough patience and persistence.
4. Rational Problem Solving
When you work in the healthcare industry, problems will arise inevitably, no matter what. Firstly, you need to be able to work methodically under pressure, and secondly, you need crisis intervention. There will be times when you might find yourself stuck; take a deep breath and go through the problem from the beginning to find a rational explanation for it.
You can seek advice from your colleagues and supervisor if you feel you cannot approach the problem analytically enough.
5. Ethics
Showing up regularly and punctually is not the only criterion for work ethics. The list also includes taking ownership of your job and diligently fulfilling each one of its requirements.
As a medical records technician, your job has its demands regarding the confidentiality of the patient's identity and information. You will be responsible for safeguarding the information, and this is non-negotiable. You can disclose it to a third party only if they are directly involved in the case or the patient consents.
What Difference Do They Make?
The healthcare industry keeps getting more complicated every new day, which makes medical documentation necessary for a number of reasons. The record technicians might not be visible at the forefront, but their role is vital for the smooth running of the system.
For instance, cases of medical insurance and police require proper and complete documentation. In case a record goes missing, the claim cannot be processed further. In fact, it puts a question mark on the professionalism of that healthcare provider and, ultimately, the records technician.
Moreover, the information in the medical records has to be appropriate for registries and databases. Medical record technicians must adhere to the federal in addition to the policies of their organization. Above all, they ensure information security, privacy, and confidentiality of the records and paperwork.
Lastly, the whole process of patient care relies upon the availability of their medical records. A slight ignorance in this department renders the doctors unable to see a clear picture of the client’s current state, thus affecting their treatment process.
The Bottom-Line
Now that you know the basic skill requirements, it is about time you start preparing to become a medical records tech. No doubt, you can always improve your skills by observing your superiors throughout your career.
Remember, all the good work starts at home, so you should take the conventional road and do some skill-building on your own. At JoinTrain, our experts take pride in empowering you and providing you with genuine resource material. Take time to explore more and leave no reasons for employers to hire someone other than you.