Records managers are responsible for the storage and maintenance of the records of an organisation's activities. Increasingly these records are stored in a digital format, though backups may still be kept on paper, film or CD. Records managers ensure that an organisation meets legal requirements to keep records of their activities for a certain amount of time, and make this information available under the Freedom of Information Act. They are also responsible for ensuring that records are disposed of responsibly and appropriately at the end of this period. Many records managers are also responsible for training other staff members in how to effectively use the records management system.


ANZSCO ID & description: 224214: Designs, implements and administers record systems and related information services, to support efficient access, movement, updating, storage, retention and disposal of files and other organisational records.

Alternative names: Knowledge Services Officer, Records Administrator,

Specialisations: Freedom of Information Officer

 

 

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A records manager needs:

• good planing and organisational skills
• good communication skills
• to be able to keep information confidential
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a team

(Source: Gaebler)

Duties and Tasks

• Manages organisations' central records systems.
• Analyses the record-keeping needs of organisations, and translates these needs into record management systems.
• Maintains computerised and other record management systems and record forms, and advises on their usage.
• Controls access to confidential information, and recommends codes of practice and procedures for accessing records.
• Develops record cataloguing, coding and classification systems, and monitoring their use.

Working conditions

Records managers in Australia usually work in government departments and larger organisations located in the metropolitan regions. They usually work in an office environment, though in some cases they may also have to travel to off-site storage locations. Records managers work regular office hours, and there are often opportunities to work part-time.

Tools and technologies

With the increasing move to store records electronically archivists must be familiar with using computers to both create and navigate a database. Where hardcopy information is also stored, records managers may be required to climb ladders to reach high shelves. Records managers will have to use a consistent information management or catalogue system in order to record the location of stored material. These systems may be developed by the records manager themselves, or they may already exist within an organisation and will have to be learned by new employees.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a records manager you usually need to complete a formal qualification in recordkeeping, information management, records management or a related area. You can complete a traineeship. The records and information officer traineeship usually takes 12 months to complete.

You can also complete a degree majoring in corporate information management. Alternatively, you can undertake a degree in any discipline, followed by a postgraduate qualification in information services, records management and archives, or information management.  

(Source: Your Career)

 

   

 

Records officers are responsible for the creation, storage, retrieval and disposal of all recorded information about an organisation's activities. Information can come in many formats such as digital, photographic, film or paper. This information contributes to what is often called the 'corporate memory' of the organisation, without which an organisation could not function properly or be held accountable for its actions.

A Records Officer is responsible for processing, storing, retrieving and managing hard copy and digital records and information for a company or organisation. Records Officers are usually detail-oriented individuals who work with a variety of informational formats, such as digital records, paper, photographic or film. Records Officers may be employed by different industries, such as within government, education, defence, construction, cultural organisations (such as museums) and mining.

Records officers must work closely with all staff members to make sure that the information systems of the organisation meet their needs and the organisation's objectives.

 

ANZSCO ID & description: 224214: Designs, implements and administers record systems and related information services, to support efficient access, movement, updating, storage, retention and disposal of files and other organisational records.

Alternative names: Records Digitisation Officer, Technical Records Clerk,

Knowledge, skills and attributes   

• good planning and organisational skills

• good problem-solving skills

• good communication skills

• able to work as part of a team

• attention to detail        

(Source: Good Universities Guide)

 

Duties and Tasks

Records officers may perform the following tasks:

• research and analyse the information needs of an organisation and develop procedures to meet those needs

• evaluating the information needs of an organisation and helping to develop systems to support the efficient access, movement, cataloguing, updating, storage, retention and disposal of files and other records.

• administering and registering records, for example, ensuring appropriate processing of digital records into an EDRMS (Electronic Document and Records Management System).

• undertaking audits of information created and stored within the organisation as required and establishing procedures for how long records should be maintained or kept.

• establish durations for which records are to be kept according to policy and legislative requirements

• develop policies for the distribution and storage of records, including the incorporation of new information technologies into the organisation

• create and maintain databases for the control and retrieval of information

• provide support to meet regulatory, accountability and transparency requirements of organisations

• interpret freedom of information, archives and records and privacy legislation as it governs access to organisation information

Working conditions

Records Officers are mostly in offices for a 38 hour week. If it is a large organisation they are working for there might be field trips involved. Most of the time it is inputing data and verifying on the phone the data collected.
   

Tools and technologies

Records Officers use EDRMS - a data management system and need to be confident and competent in using this system.

   
Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a records officer you usually have to complete a VOC qualification in recordkeeping or information technology. You may also like to consider a VOC qualification in government, business or business administration. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information. You may be able to study through distance education.

You can also become a records officer through a traineeship in Recordkeeping or Government. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.

 

Additional Information
  
Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia is the professional organisation for records officers. Membership is available at various levels depending on qualifications and experience.

  
Employment Opportunities

Records officers work in a variety of environments, including federal, state and territory government departments; local councils; commercial firms (such as banks and resource companies); churches; and professional associations. It is possible for records officers to move between different organisations and industries.

Self-employment is possible, mainly through contract work in setting up new record systems and by advising firms on methods of improved record storage and retrieval. With experience, and sometimes further training, records officers may progress into team leader, coordinator and managerial roles.

  

Health information management makes a vital contribution to healthcare planning, clinical research and legal, and management decision making.

Health information management is made up of two main job streams, Health Information Managers and Clinical Coders, and it has become the heart of the healthcare landscape bringing together all the elements around documentation, quality, data collection, data dissemination, planning and eHealth.
   
Health information managers plan, develop and review information and records services and systems within healthcare facilities. Health Information Managers plan, develop, implement and manage health information services, such as patient information systems, and clinical and administrative data, to meet the medical, legal, ethical and administrative requirements of health care delivery.

Health Information Managers (HIM) plan, manage and maintain health information systems including patient records and clinical and administrative information. The information they manage is vital to ensure a health service can make informed decisions on financial planning, case mix and quality of care.

ANZSCO ID: 224213
   
Alternative names: Medical Records Administrator,

Specialisations: Clinical Trial Data Manager, Health Data Administrator,

• Health Informatician - makes use of information technologies and computer sciences to develop and administer systems that accurately use, store, retrieve and exchange information in the healthcare field.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become a health information manager, you would need:

• an interest in health and medicine

• organisational ability

• a high level of accuracy and attention to detail

• IT proficiency

• the potential to manage and instruct staff

• good written and oral communication skills.

(Source: Health Times)

Duties and Tasks

As a health information manager you would:

• designs and revises medical record forms.

• manages organisations' central records systems.plan, develop and implement information systems that meet medical, legal, ethical and administrative requirements

• recommend, develop or implement new computerised patient identification systems as necessary

• design health record forms

• revise and test the effectiveness of existing health information record services

• ensure the quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security of health information data in both paper and electronic systems

• develop and implement new policies and procedures for handling health information in accordance with legislation and other mandatory requirements

• train health information and other staff in the policies and procedures associated with the control, use and retrieval of health information

• protect patients’ health information with regard to confidentiality, authorised access for treatment, and data security.

Working conditions
   
You would usually work a standard number of hours per week. Job share or flexible work arrangements are sometimes available. If you work in a hospital with a 24-hour service, you may need to work shifts or be part of an on-call system to cover emergencies.

You will be based mainly in an office, although you may need to travel for meetings, training courses and conferences.

   
Education and training/entrance requirements
   
You usually need a bachelor degree in science or health science majoring in Health Information Management or Health Informatics to work as a Health Information Manager. Alternatively, you can complete a bachelor’s degree, followed by a postgraduate qualification in health information management.

To get into degree courses you usually need to gain your senior secondary school certificate or equivalent. English, biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics would be appropriate subjects to study prior to university.

   
Employment Opportunities
   
Employment of health information managers is projected to grow somewhat faster than the average for all occupations.

As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, the healthcare industry as a whole will see an increase in the demand for medical services. Health information managers will be needed to organise and manage medical information and records.

The demand for health information managers may be tempered somewhat by the increasing use of computerised medical information and centralisation of patients' medical data.

 

   

Clinical coders translate descriptions of medical diagnoses and procedures into codes, which record healthcare data. Assigns codes to narrative descriptions of patients' diseases, operations and procedures in accordance with recognised classification systems to allow for easy storage, retrieval and analysis of health data. Clinical coders work closely with medical staff who are responsible for recording the information required for coding medical data within patients' medical records.
  
When you visit your doctor, your medical insurance provider will receive a bill containing medical codes, including CPT, ICD-10 and possibly other codes. For example, if an X-ray is performed or blood is taken, those services would also be represented by medical codes on your bill. There are thousands of medical codes – one for nearly every type of health care service, procedure and even for medical equipment.
   
Clinical coders spend their days reviewing medical records to assign these codes and ensure that the health care providers they support are properly reimbursed for services. Physicians and hospitals depend on accurate coding to receive proper reimbursement, making the role of the coder a valued one.

Coding accurately is not easy. The coder must carefully read the doctor’s and nurse’s notes to precisely determine the services received by the patient. The coder must also understand private payer policies and government regulations for accurate coding and billing. By some estimates, inaccurate or incomplete coding costs the doctors thousands of dollars each year in lost payments. Without competent coders, providers run the risk of losing revenue.
   
Clinical Coders are responsible for translating the clinical information about a patients’ stay in a healthcare facility into codes within a recognised classification system. These codes allow information to be stored and analysed for funding, planning and research purposes.

By ensuring accurate and comprehensive coding of a patients treatment, the clinical coder ensures the health facility receives the maximum government funding benefit possible (so a good clinical coder is invaluable to a healthcare facility).

(Source: Synapse Medical)

ANZSCO ID: 599915
   
Alternative names: Medical Records Technician, Clinical Coding Officer, Diagnostic Coder, Medical Coder, Medical Records Coder,
  
Knowledge, skills and attributes

• able to perform precise and detailed work

• able to concentrate for long periods of time

• excellent problem-solving skills

• good communication and interpersonal skills

• able to work as part of a team

• interested in healthcare procedures

• willing to continually update skills and knowledge

(Source: Infinit) 

Duties and Tasks

Clinical coders may perform the following tasks:

• read and analyse medical records to help identify all diagnoses, operations and procedures relevant to the current period of patient care

• clarify inconsistent or non-specific information in a medical record by consulting with the responsible medical practitioner

• allocate codes to patients' current period of care, using knowledge of the information contained within the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision Australian Modification, commonly referred to as ICD-10-AM

• conduct assessment of work to ensure there is continuous improvement in ICD-10-AM coding and collection of quality health data

• assess the medical record content and highlight shortcomings to management

• maintain ICD-10-AM coding books to make sure they are updated to the current version being used

• assist with the education of clinical staff with regard to ICD-10-AM

• types information from documents into a computer.

• analyses and determines classifications.

• reviews information received for accuracy and correctness.

• contacts providers and various other sources to obtain information required to resolve discrepancies.

• generates reports.

• work with computing and finance staff

• ensure the patient episode is allocated to the correct Diagnosis

• assist with medical research and casemix (patient statistics) projects (DRG)

INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL CODING
What is a medical coder and what do they do - Beginner Guide.
https://youtu.be/iBkLbXhFOJE

 

Working conditions
    
Medical coders work in every type of health care facility, including doctor’s offices, surgery centers, hospitals and health care systems. Some experienced coders have the ability to work at home through an employer or as a contract worker.

Coding requires extraordinary detail. The coder must carefully review the patient’s chart to learn the diagnosis and itemize every service provided. If a service is overlooked, the provider will not receive payment for it. If the coder chooses the wrong code, the provider may have to return any excess payment or face legal charges for overbilling.

Codes frequently change, so coding professionals must keep up to date on new rules and interpretations. A solid understanding of medical terminology, including anatomy, is also required.

Tools and technologies
    
Clinical coding is a health administration function that involves the translation of written clinical statements into a code format. A clinical coder will analyse information about an episode of patient care and assign standardised codes using a classification system. For example, acute appendicitis is represented by the code ‘K35.8′.

For coding diagnoses, most nations use the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10), developed by the World Health Organization. The standardised codes used in Australia are defined in the ICD-10 AM, which is a customised Australian modification. Other countries have also adopted the Australian coding framework, such as The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whereas its neighbouring country, The United Arab Emirates, has adopted the U.S framework known as ICD-10 CM. Nations wishing to code procedures/surgery have had to develop their own classification for procedures, or purchase a procedural classification from another nation. Australia, Britain, the USA and Canada have all developed their own classification for procedures.

Education and training/entrance requirements
   
You usually need a formal qualification in health or information management to work as a Clinical Coder. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways. To become a clinical coder you usually have to complete an accredited ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS clinical coding course. Entry into these courses requires an 80 per cent pass in the Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) Comprehensive Medical Terminology course or the HIMAA Challenge Examination in Medical Terminology. There are no specific prerequisites for these courses.
   
Additional Information
  
To achieve HIMAA Clinical Coder Certification, candidates must successfully complete further advanced training (which requires appropriate clinical coding experience) and pass an advanced coding examination.
   
Employment Opportunities
   
Clinical coders work mainly in public and private hospitals. Roles vary depending on the size and type of services offered. For example, a coder in a country regional area may be responsible for the production of data for a number of hospitals, involving travel to each. In larger institutions, the role of the coder may also include supervision of coding staff, data analysis and education. Coders may also work in specialist research and clinical units and for health insurance funds. This is important work during a pandemic.

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Materials sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Records Manager; Health Information Manager; ]
Web Archive Only - CareerHQ [Health Information Manager; ]
CareersOnline [Records Officer; Clinical Coder; Health Information Manager; ]
Explore Health Careers [Medical Coder; ]
Health Times [Health Information Management; ]
ABS [Clinical Coder; ]
Your Career [Records Manager; Clinical Coder; Health Information Manager; ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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