The professional image of medical record practitioners: perceptions from administrative officers, financial officers, and chiefs of medical staffs.

Abstract

The study's findings provide insights into the relationship between medical record practitioners and the disciplines whose members were surveyed. This relationship is an important one. Much has been written about the team concept in the provision of care. Teamwork and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship is just as important to the administrative aspects of health care. A positive professional image is a prerequisite for gaining respect. Nurturing a positive professional image is the responsibility of individual practitioners as well as the medical record profession as a collective entity. One way in which these findings can be utilized is for self analysis of MRPs: how would they evaluate themselves and how they perceive others would evaluate them. Answers to these questions may suggest areas where improvement in necessary. A second way in which findings can be used is in the recruitment arena. Positive findings can be used as recruiting and marketing tools to attract potential members into the medical record profession. Efforts in the recruitment area are necessary to meet predicted manpower shortages in the profession. While the study assisted in the understanding of the relationship of MRPs and other professionals with whom they must work closely, further study is necessary. This study's response rate and limitations to the parameters may preclude generalization; therefore, replication of the study is needed before findings can be universally applied. Additional study is necessary to determine others' perceptions of not only the image of MRPs but the identity as well. Are MRPs perceived as safekeepers of medical records or as health information leaders?