OR Pavilion Scheduling Specialist, Full-time, Rotating

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare•Chicago, IL

2d•$24 - $33

About The Position

The OR Pavilion Scheduling Specialist, Operating Room reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. The OR Pavilion Scheduling Specialist, Operating Room supports the Operating Room (OR) scheduling production process through planning and coordinating OR surgery schedule to maximize patient access and efficient use of operating rooms, equipment, and staff under supervision of the Medical Director/Anesthesia Coordinator/Director/Manager/Resource Coordinator. This position will act as an office scheduling liaison for the pavilion operating room staff, physicians, and management to relay patient throughput and scheduling information requiring interfacing with supporting departments.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
3-5 years of relevant surgery scheduling or related work experience.
Knowledge/certification completion of medical and scheduling terminology.
Basic personal computer knowledge.

Nice To Haves

College level experience.
Previous hospital and team work group experience.
Customer Service experience.
EPIC Intraop scheduling experience.
Strong organizational skills, and proficiency with computers, and business office equipment.

Responsibilities

Accesses protected health information (PHI) and ensures all job duties are in accordance with NM confidentiality policies and procedures and HIPPA guidelines.
Demonstrate in-depth scheduling working knowledge and expertise with clinical based computer systems by initiating, coordinating and maintaining the schedule over the operating room pavilion(s).
Monitors tentative operating room schedules and identifies scheduling barriers (e.g., surgical procedures/procedure name and discrepancies in type of operating room (OR)/pavilion assignment) and contacts appropriate scheduling office/service and implements solutions to improve scheduling workflow.
Collaborates with Medical Director/Anesthesia/surgeons/nursing/scheduling office to complete adjustments to the OR schedule prior to surgery date and communicates changes to scheduling office/Central Scheduling and others as appropriate.
Interacts effectively and acts as the pavilion liaison between multiple supporting departments to gather information needed to schedule surgeries consistent with department guidelines and reviewing physician scheduling requests and patient needs.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, nursing, staff, and management.
Determines order in which surgical procedures are scheduled, by reviewing procedure type/category/case level, duration time, and OR availability and schedules cases in accordance with Surgical Services scheduling guidelines.
Assigns operating suites and equipment and block times to maximize efficient use of resources and communicates to the appropriate staff of the changes.
Collaborates and participates in the OR daily huddle with Pavilion Medical Director/Manager for final approval of the next day surgical schedule.
Ensures, maintains, and validates the surgery schedule is accurate and aligns with the scheduling guidelines in an efficient and equitable manner.
Cross trained to fill in and effectively perform all other job functions across surgical pavilions to staffing relief/coverage for the Information liaison(s)/OR Pavilion Scheduling Specialists(s)/Resource Coordinator, as needed.
Assists the Anesthesia Coordinator/OR Clinical Coordinator at the Control Desk to ensure optimal care and coordination of current day surgical patients.
Answer high volume phone line and aids the caller/employee to include accurately scheduling same day/next day add-on procedures within the electronic health record (e.g., EPIC).
Effectively communicates information with other departments, staff, management and physicians.
Recognizes and responds appropriately to semi-urgent/urgent/emergent scheduling situations per protocols.
Assists with rescheduling surgeries as needed to accommodate emergencies other unanticipated events.
Ability to collaborate across departments and build effective relationships with internal and external customers/staff to ensure operational processes are met.
Extends knowledge as required of new scheduling processes/service line expansions. Acquires and maintains knowledge of patient throughput/scheduling process changes/operational enhancements.
Contacts units/departments to coordinate surgical patients and accurately submits transport requests to the operating room/pre-operative holding area.
Accurately completes operating room assignments/on-call assignments for the required staff.
Performs all responsibilities in a professional manner that demonstrates appropriate behavior toward staff, peers, external contacts, patients/family members/companions, and other departments guided by our NM AIDET communication tool which conveys all essential information with clarity, compassion and understanding (e.g., Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank you).
Screens all phone call requests for patient information and refers to appropriate staff.
Enters facility work orders and supply order when required by assigned department.
Prints final schedules for operating rooms on a daily basis and creates copies and distributes to appropriate areas as needed.
Uses computer applications or other automated systems such as excel spreadsheets, word processing, Microsoft Outlook calendar, and Microsoft Outlook e-mail and database software in performing work assignments.
Performs clerical and administrative functions under the supervision of the Resource Coordinator/Operations Manager.
Patient Tracking System – checks patients in and enters next days cases into system
Registration forms:
Patient Information Complete
Hospital Consent
Advance Directives
Medicaid
Medicare
HIPAA/Privacy
Communicate patient/family information to ASU and OR staff
Provide assistance/directions to volunteers
Ensure patient charts are together for the next day
Order unit supplies
Maintain waiting room area/coffee & vending machine area – supplies for visitors
Other patient registration functions and unit communications as needed
Responds to Emergency Call light by transporting Cardiac Crash cart to appropriate OR, notify managers of situation
Communicates patient / family information to ASU/OR/SDS/Anesthesia/OR Nursing/Recovery room/CSS/ and family waiting areas regarding add-on cases, cancellations, and bypass RR patients
Maintains and updates Nursing Staff Directory (address and home/cell phone numbers)
Maintains and updates triage list
Enters broken equipment into data base for repair and ensures broken pagers are replaced
Facilitates communication between OR / Pre & Post-op / CSS departments
Receives and directs calls from physician offices and patients
Other unit communication coordination functions as needed
Visitor & Vendor coordination
Maintain Visitor/Vendor Sign in & out book
Ensure all Visitor/Vendors have badges
Confirm access approvals in place according to policies
Contact ORSCs, CCs, and others as needed (ask Vendors to wait while ORSC/CC for the OR is contacted/call manager or designee for assistance as needed).
Coordinate scrub attire/lockers as needed
Maintain access approval paperwork for Vendors / Visitors
Checks and orders disposable scrubs as necessary; puts scrubs away upon delivery
Family and significant others
Give directions as needed to lounge/cafeterias, etc.
Convey messages to nursing staff/CCs as needed
Other Departments:
Assist Hospital Transportation staff in checking off / picking up specimens
Offer assistance/directions to others
Other customer service functions as needed
Orders unit supplies
Assists manager and ORSCs with scheduling of conference room, meetings
Maintains locker data base
Support nursing staff scheduling using hospital dedicated scheduling system
Other administrative support as needed
Participates in regularly scheduling perioperative meetings to improve operational performance that leads to better patient outcomes and great patient satisfaction.