Interim HIM/Coding Director - Consultant

Position Summary

The Interim Coding/HIM Director provides experienced leadership for coding and health information management operations during periods of transition, growth, performance improvement, or leadership vacancy. This role stabilizes day-to-day operations, strengthens compliance and coding quality, supports team performance, and delivers a clear plan for sustainable improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and stabilize assigned coding and HIM operations, ensuring continuity, accountability, and timely decision-making.
• Complete a rapid assessment of people, processes, technology, performance, compliance, and revenue-cycle risk.
• Develop and execute a prioritized 30-, 60-, and 90-day stabilization and improvement plan.
• Oversee coding quality, productivity, turnaround time, backlog management, education, and audit performance.
• Ensure coding practices align with applicable ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, HCPCS, payer, regulatory, and organizational requirements.
• Identify and address coding, documentation, charge capture, denial, and reimbursement trends affecting compliance or revenue.
• Partner with CDI, revenue integrity, patient financial services, compliance, IT, clinical leaders, and physicians to resolve root causes.
• Lead core HIM functions as applicable, including record completion, release of information, document management, data integrity, and deficiency management.
• Assess staffing levels, team structure, productivity expectations, skill mix, workflows, and vendor performance.
• Coach managers, coders, auditors, educators, and HIM staff while setting clear expectations for quality, productivity, communication, and accountability.
• Establish meaningful performance metrics and executive dashboards for coding quality, productivity, backlog, denials, record completion, and financial impact.
• Provide concise, action-oriented updates and recommendations to executive, physician, clinical, and revenue-cycle leadership.
• Support audit readiness, corrective-action planning, payer review response, and compliance monitoring activities.
• Recommend sustainable process, policy, technology, staffing, and governance improvements.
• Create a transition plan that includes key risks, priorities, documented workflows, leadership recommendations, and knowledge transfer to the permanent team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Health Information Management, Healthcare Administration, Business, Nursing, or a related field preferred.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in coding, HIM, CDI, revenue cycle, revenue integrity, or healthcare compliance.
• Three or more years of leadership experience within coding, HIM, or healthcare revenue-cycle operations.
• Strong knowledge of coding, reimbursement, quality, audit, compliance, and documentation requirements.
• Experience with inpatient and/or outpatient coding operations, coding quality programs, productivity management, denial prevention, and operational reporting.
• RHIA, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, COC, CDIP, CCDS, or comparable credential required
• Strong executive communication, problem-solving, team leadership, and change-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, establish trust quickly, and translate complex issues into clear action plans.

Essential Functions

This role requires the ability to lead teams, review and interpret healthcare and financial data, use standard business and healthcare technology systems, communicate effectively with stakeholders, participate in virtual and/or on-site meetings, and travel as required by the engagement.

J2 Commitment

J2 Integrity Solutions leads with Believe, Integrity, Balance, Leadership, and Excellence. We seek leaders who bring sound judgment, professionalism, compassion, and accountability to every client engagement-helping healthcare organizations build stronger teams, more reliable processes, and lasting results.