Medical records and health information professionals with training in coding and insurance billing procedures are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of medical records personnel is expected to grow much faster than the average growth for all occupations in the country over the next decade. Applicants with associates degrees or certifications from medical training programs will find the best prospects for employment.

It's easy to see why so many medical records personnel are needed. Every patient in the country that visits hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient clinics, vision and dental offices has a record of consultation, diagnosis and treatment. Records are required by law, and most health care providers must provide comprehensive medical records order to receive insurance company payments.

There are medical trade colleges, community colleges, and private schools that offer career training programs in medical records and coding. Coursework for an associate's degree in medical records can include an introduction to insurance processes along with classes in diagnosis and treatment coding, abstraction of data, medical terminology, statistics, database software, legal requirements for medical reporting, anatomy, and physiology.

Students with a prior background in some computer science, biology, chemistry, or basic anatomy will have the inside edge in receiving admissions to medical records training programs, the BLS reports.

Of the 159,000 medical records and health information professionals that held jobs in 2004, about one third worked in hospitals. The majority of new jobs, the BLS predicts, will be in the offices of private physicians.

Online Degrees in Medical Records

DeVry University

DeVry University Online is an online campus dedicated to providing students with a distance education environment that is conducive to working adults that wish to further their education but are too busy with a full-time job or family obligations to attend a traditional university. more

Medical Records Degrees Offered:

Associate - Health Information Technology
An Associate's degree in Health Information Technology trains students to qualify for technical positions in healthcare including data analysis, patient health and information coordination, clinical coding and more. In just two years, students will graduate fully prepared to work in any healthcare setting: private doctor's offices, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and mental health facilities.

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Penn Foster Schools

Penn Foster Schools, the largest accredited school of independent home study, offers more than 80 distance education career diploma programs. Students enrolled in these programs have the option of studying online, in print, or through a combination of the two. In addition, Penn Foster Schools offers high school diplomas and 22 different associate degrees. more

Medical Records Degrees Offered:

Health Information Technology
There are certain skills you need to begin a career in Health Information Technology. This program helps you learn them quickly and conveniently. You’ll learn about medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, law and ethics in medicine, medical coding, and much more.

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