Admitting & Discharge Clerk Careers & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

When people visit the hospital or a doctor’s office, the last thing they want to worry about is whether or not they’ve filled out all the appropriate paper work, however, without accurate records and patient histories, it would take physicians a lot longer to meet with patients and diagnose conditions because they would have to get this information during every appointment. It is the responsibility of the Admitting & Discharge Clerk to register patients when they arrive at the hospital or clinic, and be sure that they have updated their records before they are seen by the doctor. Admitting & Discharge Clerks are required to interview new and existing patients, assist patients with filling out required forms and other administrative tasks related to admitting patients or transferring information between doctors. Candidates for this position should be skilled at communicating with people about administrative issues and adept at filing paperwork.

Salary Outlook

Salaries vary depending on experience and location.

Average Annual Salary

$36,326

Salary Range

$32,000 - $41,000

Work Environment

Most admitting and discharge clerks work in hospitals, either in the normal outpatient admitting department, in the emergency room, or in the offices of specialty doctors that are affiliated with a hospital or medical center. Other places of employment might include private practices of doctors, dentists, chiropractors or physical therapists.

High School Preparation

Students interested in pursuing a career as an Admitting & Discharge Clerk should concentrate on subjects such as English (reading and writing proficiency), business management, communications, computer skills, health occupations/medical professions education, mathematics, and sociology.

Requirements

Students that are interested in becoming an Admitting & Discharge Clerk should be advised that there are few formal educational requirements that must be fulfilled in order to be appointed to a clerk position, however, it can be useful to secure a specialty certificate or associates degree in a related field, such as business administration, office management, medical record and billing management or administrative assisting. There are programs at both junior colleges and distance learning programs that will prepare students for this position.

Career Outlook

Employment opportunities for Admitting & Discharge Clerks are expected to increase at the rate of around 4 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is slower than the average increase for most occupations, however, there are opportunities for accelerated growth in some specialty areas. Most of this growth will occur in the hospital and social assistance sectors. While many of the administrative tasks completed by these positions are being transferred to automatic and online processes, there is no substitute for a clerk that is able to communicate with both doctors and patients in a relaxed and professional manner.

Professional Organizations

American Health Information Management Association

233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2150

Chicago, IL 60601-5800

Phone: (312) 233-1100

www.ahima.org