Surgery Coordinator/Scheduler

About the role

ZSFG/UCSF Medical Center seeks a Surgery Practice Coordinator (PC) to manage and schedule all outpatient and inpatient surgeries. The role involves interfacing with patients, physicians, and hospital staff, ensuring timely and accurate scheduling of surgical procedures, and coordinating pre- and post-operative appointments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure all surgical procedures are scheduled within a clinically appropriate timeframe.
• Interface with patients, physicians, and hospital staff to communicate about all aspects of surgical services.
• Work closely with attending and resident physicians to place patient-appropriate surgical schedules.
• Coordinate and schedule pre- and post-operative appointments, including biometry, anesthesia clearance, and COVID testing.
• Manage patient transportation to and from the hospital and collaborate with social workers on patient needs related to surgery.
• Support clinical teams by handling patient scheduling, telephone encounters, referrals, scanning, filing, authorizations, and billing.
• Maintain the surgery scheduling database and communicate data related to pending surgeries.
• Adhere to ZSFG telephone standards and demonstrate sensitivity to patient, staff, and provider needs.

Requirements

• High school graduate or equivalent with four years related experience; or college degree and 6 months related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong computer skills, including basic keyboarding skills, and experience with at least two office-type software programs (i.e., Outlook, Work and Excel).
• Prioritize and develop solutions to complex scheduling coordination related to securing OR time outside of designated block time in the operating room.
• Support all functions of the clinical teams including patient scheduling, telephone encounters, referrals, scanning, filing, authorizations, and billing.
• Uses effective communication skills with patients and staff; demonstrates proper telephone techniques and etiquette; acts as an escort to any patient or family member needing directions; shows sensitivity to differences of culture; demonstrates a positive and supportive manner in which patients/families/collaborators perceive interactions as positive and supportive.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent with four years related experience; or college degree and 6 months related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven ability to navigate through multiple patient record systems.
• Ability to analyze situations, prioritize and develop solutions and make recommendations.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to use good judgment and work independently, at time under the pressure of deadlines.
• Excellent customer service and communication/interpersonal skills, both over the telephone and directly.
• Able to sit at a computer terminal with telephone headphones for extended periods of time.
• Basic math skills required.
• Proven ability to deal with a wide variety of individuals.
• Able to deal sensitively and effectively with patients.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Strong writing skills to include the ability to compose, edit, and proof a wide variety of documents.
• Demonstrated administrative/office coordination skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of medical practice terminology.
• Bi-lingual or multi-lingual capability (Tagalog, Spanish and Cantonese) strongly preferred.
• Prior experience with appointment, ancillary service or surgical scheduling or a combination of all three.
• Experience with Epic/Apex strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of Ophthalmology terminology and experience in the Department of Ophthalmology.