HIM Professionals in the CDI World: The Power of Blended Teams and What's Next for All of Us

Course Description

Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) has transformed significantly over the past three decades, evolving from a clinically focused function into a strategic discipline that supports quality outcomes, accurate reimbursement, regulatory compliance, and healthcare analytics. As the profession continues to advance, healthcare organizations are rethinking traditional staffing models and recognizing the value of multidisciplinary CDI teams.

In this insightful webinar, Irina Zusman explores why blended CDI teams—bringing together Health Information Management (HIM) professionals, coding specialists, nurses, physicians, and other allied health professionals—are becoming the foundation of high-performing CDI programs. Drawing on industry guidance, current workforce trends, and real-world experience, she will examine how diverse professional backgrounds contribute unique strengths that improve documentation quality, coding accuracy, collaboration, and organizational performance.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the evolving role of HIM professionals within CDI and discover how integrated teams can overcome common documentation challenges while strengthening compliance and supporting value-based care initiatives. The session will also review current CDI workforce trends, including the continued reliance on RN-only models and the growing recognition of blended staffing approaches across healthcare organizations.

The webinar concludes with a forward-looking discussion on the future of CDI in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Attendees will explore how AI is expected to transform documentation, coding, and clinical workflows, while learning why human expertise, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration will remain essential for success. Whether you are leading a CDI program, working in HIM or coding, or preparing for the future of healthcare documentation, this session offers practical insights into building resilient, high-performing teams and adapting confidently to the next evolution of the CDI profession.

• Understand the importance of a strong CDI program. 
• Understand the roles of CDI and Coding in public profiling. 
• Learn how clinical documentation affects quality outcomes. 
• Understand how different teams can collaborate to ensure accurate reporting. 
• Learn about different risk adjustment methodologies. 
• Become familiar with the ACDIS Position Paper on who can work in the CDI field. 
• Learn about the key skill sets required for a CDI role. 
• Understand the benefits of having a blended CDI team. 
• Discuss the transition into the AI-driven world of CDI.
  
  

• Medical record as a story:
• Who writes it?
• Who translates it into codes?
• Who reviews it?
• Who edits it?
• Clinical Documentation Integrity Fundamentals 
• CDI program goals 
• Documentation excellence 
• The Coding Professional's Role 
• Code assignment 
• Coding compliance 
• Data integrity 
• The CDI Review Process 
• Chart reviews 
• Provider queries 
• Risk Adjustment Methodologies 
• HCC models 
• Severity capture 
• Risk scoring 
• Documentation & Quality Outcomes 
• HAC reporting 
• PSI reporting 
• Quality measures 
• Public Reporting & Hospital Performance 
• Public profiling 
• Performance metrics 
• The Evolution of CDI 
• Industry transformation 
• Workforce diversity 
• Changing expectations 
• The ACDIS Position Paper 
• Hiring recommendations 
• Professional eligibility 
• Essential CDI Skill Sets 
• Clinical knowledge 
• Critical thinking 
• Communication skills 
• Benefits of Blended CDI Teams 
• Shared expertise 
• Collaborative workflow 
• Better outcomes 
• HIM Professionals in CDI 
• Coding expertise 
• Documentation integrity 
• Building Collaborative Teams 
• Cross-functional communication 
• Shared accountability 
• Best practices 
• Preparing for the Future of CDI 
• Professional development 
• Career readiness 
• AI and the Next Evolution of CDI 
• AI integration 
• Human expertise 
• Future opportunities
• Interactive Q&A Session with Irina Zusman

• Coding Professionals 
• Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) Specialists 
• Health Information Management (HIM) Directors 
• Coding Managers 
• CDI Managers 
• Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) 
• Quality Abstractors 
• Denial Management Specialists 
• Health Information Management Professionals 
• Revenue Integrity Specialists 
• Clinical Coding Auditors 
• Physician Advisors 
• Revenue Cycle Directors 
• Case Management Professionals 
• Utilization Review Specialists 
• Compliance Officers 
• Clinical Documentation Educators 
• Clinical Informatics Specialists 
• Quality Improvement Professionals 
• Healthcare Compliance Managers

Irina Zusman, RHIA, CCS, CCDS is a distinguished health information management professional who has recently transitioned into retirement. With a career spanning more than three decades, Irina's expertise in medical coding, clinical documentation improvement (CDI), and data quality management has solidified her reputation as a leader in the field. She is renowned for her proficiency in ICD-10, DRG review, and EHR systems, which she leveraged to ensure the highest standards of data accuracy and healthcare consulting.

Irina holds the esteemed RHIA, CCS, and CCDS credentials, underscoring her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. Before retiring, she served as the Director of HIM Coding and Clinical Documentation at NYU Langone Medical Center from May 2011 to January 2025. In this role, she was instrumental in overseeing the complex coding and clinical documentation processes at one of the nation's premier academic medical centers. Her leadership ensured seamless departmental operations, contributing significantly to organizational efficiency and high standards of patient care.

She is passionate about uniting the expertise of Coding and CDI and has demonstrated that when these two disciplines work in tandem, the results are improved documentation, accurate coding, and enhanced data capture. She remains committed to staying at the forefront of regulatory and compliance developments.

In response to evolving industry needs, Irina designed and developed two new programs at the NYU School of Professional Studies. The first, a Coding Diploma Program, was developed in collaboration with the Senior Director of HIM at NYU Langone Medical Center. The second, a CDI Diploma Program, was developed in collaboration with NYU Langone Medical Center's Director of CDI.

Irina also served on the ACDIS Advisory Board from 2018 to 2021.