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What Does a Health Information Coordinator Do?

YaShekia King
YaShekia King

Health information coordinators are individuals who oversee patient medical data at organizations such as hospitals or nursing homes. These professionals need to have solid written and verbal communication skills for interacting with both employees and healthcare customers. A person who seeks to become a health information coordinator must complete a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year master’s degree in business administration or health services administration. He or she also can increase his or her job opportunities by seeking certification in this specialized field.

A health information coordinator is mainly responsible for managing patient medical files. This includes organizing the records using a system that makes retrieving them convenient as well as ensuring that they are not lost or stolen. In addition, these professionals help other employees to find certain records when necessary or respond to inquiries regarding information in patient health charts. They must pursue any data missing in health files to ensure that all patient documents remain as complete and accurate as possible.

A health information coordinator is responsible for managing patient medical files.
A health information coordinator is responsible for managing patient medical files.

Leadership is critical in this industry as well. A health information coordinator supervises clerical staff by assigning various tasks to them and making sure that they are capable of completing these duties in an allotted time frame. These subordinates complete tasks such as preparing admission paperwork for new patients as well as checking patients out of the facility. Coordinators in the industry also have to oversee volunteers who help in companies' health information departments.

A health information coordinator must be properly trained to handle medical records and other sensitive electronic files.
A health information coordinator must be properly trained to handle medical records and other sensitive electronic files.

Providing information to company executives additionally constitutes a job duty in the field. For instance, a coordinator of health data must generate reports regarding the number of patients admitted into the hospital or other healthcare establishment each day or month, and then submit this information to business leaders. These executives use this data to gauge the organization’s success at achieving established financial goals. A health information coordinator therefore needs to stay current on industry software technologies for tracking patient data.

A health information coordinator must have solid communication skills.
A health information coordinator must have solid communication skills.

Managers of health information have to approve the release of any medical information to those requesting it. For this reason, he or she needs to know his or her company’s policies as well as any laws that govern the protection of patient data. The health information coordinator has to keep a record of all health data inquiries that he or she receives and then submit patient records to those making the requests in a timely manner. Providing employee education on the importance of keeping medical records confidential also is an important task.

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    • A health information coordinator is responsible for managing patient medical files.
      By: Monkey Business
      A health information coordinator is responsible for managing patient medical files.
    • A health information coordinator must be properly trained to handle medical records and other sensitive electronic files.
      By: Tyler Olson
      A health information coordinator must be properly trained to handle medical records and other sensitive electronic files.
    • A health information coordinator must have solid communication skills.
      By: jovannig
      A health information coordinator must have solid communication skills.
    • Health information coordinators will track and organize medical charts.
      By: Andres Rodriguez
      Health information coordinators will track and organize medical charts.
    • A health information coordinator may work in nursing homes.
      By: michaeljung
      A health information coordinator may work in nursing homes.
    • Health information coordinators ensure nursing staff have access to a patient's medical history.
      By: Sandor Kacso
      Health information coordinators ensure nursing staff have access to a patient's medical history.