A medical records administrator is in charge of a hospital’s, clinic’s, or medical center’s medical records systems. This may entail overseeing a team of people who perform a variety of tasks in order to keep medical records safe and secure while adhering to all applicable standards and regulations. Administrators are responsible for planning and directing the work of employees, as well as providing any necessary training. The administrator is often in charge of deciding on the type of medical records to keep and the systems to use. In order to ensure payment, a medical records administrator must be able to maintain positive working relationships with attorneys, legal personnel, government agency officials, and other professionals.
The planning, directing, and evaluation of the medical records staff’s activities is one of the most important aspects of this position. Typically, a medical records administrator will interview candidates for various staff positions or make hiring recommendations. Providing guidance or disciplinary action will also be a big part of this job’s daily responsibilities. The administrator may also train staff members in their specific duties as well as the numerous regulations governing medical record maintenance, confidentiality, retention, processing, and release.
A medical records administrator’s other responsibilities include developing proper procedures and policies for the content, confidentiality, and processing of medical records. This may necessitate the use of a digital or automated medical records archival system, the preparation of management summary reports, and the formulation of procedures for the retention of medical records provided by managed care providers. A medical records administrator may also select outside vendor service providers who are responsible for copying and transcription of medical records, as well as ensuring that these vendors adhere to privacy regulations. An administrator may also need to attend ongoing training and maintain credentials as a registered health information administrator in order to stay up to date on the latest methods and regulations applicable to medical records.
A medical records administrator must be able to decipher and apply applicable laws and regulations governing processing methods and confidentiality. On a daily basis, administrators must deal with attorneys, government officials, professional peers, and even the general public. This necessitates an administrator’s ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people. One of the most important responsibilities of this job is to maintain the confidentiality of medical records. Third-party payers are more likely to pay or reimburse charges and fees if laws and regulations governing medical records are followed.