Lori Diederichs, MS, RHIA
Biography
Lori Diederichs, MS, RHIA, is a seasoned health information management (HIM) leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategy, compliance, and innovation across complex healthcare systems. She currently serves as Senior Director of Health Information Management at CentraCare, where she leads enterprise-wide HIM strategy, regulatory compliance, and data governance initiatives that support interoperability and operational excellence. She is also a strong advocate for ensuring HIM professionals are recognized for their expertise, have a seat at the table, and play a critical role in protecting and securing patient information.
Lori is recognized for her ability to lead large-scale transformation, integrate systems, and align HIM operations with organizational and industry priorities. She brings deep expertise in healthcare policy, compliance, and information strategy, along with strong financial stewardship and a commitment to innovation.
An engaged and respected leader within AHIMA and her state association, Lori currently serves as Chair of AHIMA’s Health Data Access and Use Community of Practice and has represented her peers in the AHIMA House of Delegates. She is a Past President of the Minnesota Health Information Management Association (MNHIMA) and has held numerous leadership roles focused on advocacy, professional development, and advancing the HIM profession.
Lori is committed to developing future HIM professionals through her service on a local college HIM advisory board and by actively supporting students throughout their academic journey.
She holds a Master’s degree in Health Information Management from The College of St. Scholastica and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from St. Cloud State University. She is passionate about advancing the HIM profession, developing future leaders, and shaping the responsible use of health data in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
Position Statement
AHIMA's core values are Integrity, Bold, and Inclusive. How would you incorporate these into your service if elected to the AHIMA Board of Directors?
As a Health Information Professional, I have learned that integrity is the foundation of everything we build. The values that Grace Whiting Myers instilled in our profession remain deeply relevant today. By honoring where we came from, we gain the courage and grounding needed to face some of the most complex and unprecedented challenges in our history.
In a world moving at lightning speed—where information is created, shared, and transformed with a single click—those who safeguard the accuracy, relevance, and security of information are not always celebrated. Yet this is precisely the kind of professional our healthcare system needs. As a leader, I am committed to ensuring that our actions, beliefs, and values remain aligned. Accountability is essential: without it, we lose the credibility on which our profession stands.
My background in accounting allows me to approach decisions through a strategic and financially responsible lens, ensuring that we steward our resources wisely. By leading with integrity and fiscal responsibility, I will help ensure that legislators, employers, and partner organizations recognize AHIMA as the premier voice of healthcare professionals—empowering people, improving health, and shaping the future of our industry.
In a time of rapid transformation, we must also be bold. We cannot afford to be reactive. Instead, we must move forward with confidence, courage, and intention—guided by the lessons of our past and informed by calculated, thoughtful risk-taking. With more than 20 years of experience in health information, I bring the ability to think broadly, lead through ambiguity, and anticipate challenges before they arise. This perspective is essential for driving solutions to problems we may not yet see.
We have achieved our strength as a profession by being inclusive and by keeping the human experience at the center of everything we do. The decisions we make about our future value must be rooted in this same inclusivity. Throughout my career, I have successfully integrated diverse HIM teams by listening to different values, ideas, and perspectives. I know that when people feel valued, respected, and heard, the most innovative and forward‑thinking solutions emerge.
As a member of the Board, I will lead with integrity, inclusiveness, and bold vision—ensuring that our profession continues to grow, adapt, and excel in an ever‑changing healthcare landscape.