Senior Surgery Scheduler - ENT (Texas Medical Center)

Position Summary

The Sr. Surgery Scheduler performs duties relevant to surgical operations. This position includes surgery scheduling, appointment reminders, maintaining patient records, entering pre- and post-surgical data, and scheduling surgical equipment. The Sr. Surgery Scheduler will manage incoming and outgoing phone calls and emails. The Sr. Surgery Scheduler ensures that all pre-surgery paperwork is complete and works closely with multiple facilities. The Sr. Surgery Scheduler helps ensure adequate preparation for surgery and answers patient questions or addresses concerns beforehand. The Sr. Surgery Scheduler interacts with all levels of staff, management, physicians, patients and families, multidisciplinary teams, insurance carriers, and outside agencies. Adjust schedules and accommodate special requests from internal and external customers while providing complete coordination before surgery. The Sr. Surgery Scheduler will train surgery scheduling staff.

Position Key Accountabilities

• Schedules patients for clinic and surgery appointments.
• Determines appointment priority and schedules patients using appropriate scheduling platform.
• Utilizes courteous and professional telephone techniques and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport with patients, physicians, office personnel and various hospital personnel while maintaining patient confidentiality.
• Works directly with the insurance carriers to obtain authorizations and referrals as needed per insurance guidelines to ensure financial coverage for prospective procedures.
• Completes a detailed estimate for physician services. Explains patient financial responsibilities to the patient, collects deductible/co-insurance amount, and posts payments to the surgical invoice prior to the procedure.
• Verifies patient demographics, eligibility and diagnostics as guided by scheduling protocol for each physician and involves physician as needed to coordinate care.
• Requests and obtains pre-surgical clearance from patient's PCP and/or Specialty Provider as needed.
• Clocks with external vendors to ensure all needed surgical equipment is available.
• Reconciles surgical responsibilities by preparing preliminary and final schedules for each physician as assigned.
• Closely coordinates physician office and OR schedules to maximize physician efficiency.
• Confirms completion of all surgical cases in the EMR.
• Communicates in an effective and professional manner with physicians, care management team, ancillary departments, nursing units, physician's office staff, insurance companies, as well as patients and their families.
• Maintains complete, thorough and accurate documentation.
• Ensures compliance with budgetary guidelines, time management, supply management, productivity and accuracy of practice.
• Adheres to all policies, procedures, and standards of the University.
• Trains all personnel in surgery scheduling and prepares monthly summary of all surgical procedures performed.

Minimum Education

A High School Diploma or equivalent required.

Minimum Experience

3 years of experience in a hospital or medical business office required.

Physical Requirements

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code 51.215 and Texas Government Code 411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code 117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position.

Residency Requirement

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.