Melinda Smaller, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIC

Melinda Smaller, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIC is a distinguished Health Information Management (HIM) professional with over 20 years of multifaceted experience spanning the entire revenue cycle. A recognized expert in both inpatient and outpatient settings, Melinda has dedicated her career to ensuring that clinical documentation reflects the highest standards of accuracy and integrity.

Her technical foundation is built on a rare combination of elite credentials, including RHIT, CCS, CPC, and CIC. As an AHIMA Approved ICD-10 Trainer, she has been at the forefront of the industry’s most significant transitions, serving as a vital link between complex regulatory updates and the professionals who implement them.

Clinical Expertise & Technical Mastery

Throughout her tenure, Melinda has mastered the nuances of:

• Specialized Auditing: Expert-level APC and DRG validation audits that safeguard institutional compliance and reimbursement.
• Risk Adjustment: Deep proficiency in Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) coding, ensuring accurate clinical representations for value-based care.
• System Fluency: A skilled navigator of various EHR systems and abstracting applications, allowing her to streamline workflows in diverse facility environments.

Commitment to Education & Professional Development

Beyond her technical roles as a Coding Manager and Auditor, Melinda’s true passion lies in workforce development. Her experience as a coding instructor has allowed her to mentor the next generation of HIM professionals, translating dense ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT guidelines into digestible, practical knowledge.

Melinda’s unique perspective—having sat in the seats of the coder, the auditor, and the manager—positions her as a visionary for HIM education. She is deeply committed to closing the gap between academic curriculum and real-world facility requirements, advocating for a future where HIM education is as adaptive and resilient as the professionals it produces.

A Results-Oriented Professional

Known for her unwavering work ethic and meticulous attention to detail, Melinda is more than a subject matter expert; she is a strategic partner in the healthcare ecosystem. Whether she is refining E/M criteria or conducting a comprehensive clinical documentation improvement (CDI) review, her goal remains the same: excellence through accuracy.