Which healthcare professional is primarily responsible for managing and coding patient health information for records and billing?

• A. Health information technician
• B. Physician
• C. Nurse
• D. Physical therapist

Answer: (A)

Managing and coding patient health information for records and billing falls to health information management professionals. They organize and maintain complete, accurate records, assign standardized codes using systems like ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT/HCPCS, and prepare data used for billing and reimbursement. This role sits at the intersection of clinical documentation and financial processes, ensuring records comply with legal and regulatory requirements so claims are processed correctly. Clinicians such as physicians, nurses, and therapists contribute the clinical notes, but coding and data management are specialized tasks handled by health information technicians. This is why health information technicians represent the primary role for this function.