Diann H. Smith, MS, RHIA, CHP, FAHIMA, has dedicated more than 40 years to the health information profession.  She is currently the vice president of Health Information Management Services and Clinical Documentation Integrity at Texas Health Resources in Arlington, Texas, a 29-facility integrated health care system.  Diann is also a longtime volunteer at the local, state, and national level.  She is also a fellow with the American Health Information Management Association.  Diann has served as the leader on multiple high impact projects such as, implementation of an enterprise HIM division and the deployment of electronic health records at one of the organization’s flagship hospitals.  Diann has been a successful change agent, designing and executing complex projects, all the while, proving herself to be a thought leader in HIM and cementing her role as a trusted advisor.

Diann earned her Master of Science in human relations and business from Amberton University and Bachelor of Science in health information management from Texas Woman’s University.

Many professionals and colleagues describe Diann as a “visionary leader.” They note her talent of identifying future needs of the industry and compliment her hands-on approach in communicating hot trends to key decision makers. By proactively pinpointing future needs, she influences organizational success in the ever-changing healthcare model.

In Diann’s eyes, her most meaningful accomplishment is serving as a mentor and coach. Diann develops a personal investment in everyone to not only encourage but also to be a champion for their success. Instead of offering a direct solution to each problem, Diann takes the approach of understanding their decision-making process, actively listening, offering a safe zone to openly discuss obstacles and goals, and suggesting targeted exercises for professional growth. As a result of Diann’s teaching style, many have advanced into leadership roles within healthcare and beyond.

Helping others evolve whether personally or professionally is natural for Diann and she recognizes that it is a two-way street when it comes to education and growth.  She enjoys connecting with new professionals and individuals from diverse backgrounds to learn new perspectives. 

While Diann’s professional accolades and accomplishments are many, including most recently 2018 President/Chair of AHIMA; 2018 – 2020 Chair AHIMA Foundation, 2021 Legacy Award from Texas Health Information Management Association; 2017 Woman of the Year Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Xi Theta Omega Chapter; 2016 Inspiring Women Award presented by Mary Kay; 2016 Mentor of the Year Award presented by Women of Visionary Influence (WOVI), her greatest accomplishment is seeing others excel in their careers – making her an inspiration to all she meets.