Surgery Scheduler (General Surgery)

Austin Regional Clinic: ARC•Round Rock, TX

80d

About The Position

Austin Regional Clinic is seeking a Surgery Scheduler for General Surgery. The position schedules surgeries for physicians at local surgery centers and hospitals, maintains physicians’ surgery schedules, obtains insurance authorizations, and verifies benefits. The role carries out these duties while maintaining compliance and confidentiality and promoting the organization’s mission and philosophy. The scheduler coordinates surgery and related appointments with physicians, clinical teams, patients, facilities, vendors, and surgical assistants. The role reviews patient history and medications, verifies clearances and insurance requirements, prepares and sends pre-operative documentation, communicates instructions and cost estimates, and manages schedule or order changes. The scheduler also supports patients with authorization, financial-assistance, and scheduling questions and assists coworkers and other office staff as needed. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with two half-days during the week. Holiday shifts are required as dictated by company policy.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Experience working in a medical office setting.
Knowledge of ICD and CPT coding methodology.
Excellent computer and keyboarding skills, including familiarity with Windows.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities.
Ability to perform job duties professionally at all times.
Ability to understand, recall, and apply oral or written instructions and other information.
Ability to organize thoughts and ideas into understandable terminology.
Ability to apply common sense in performing the job.
Ability to engage others, listen, and adapt responses to meet others’ needs.
Ability to align one’s actions with team members working toward common goals.

Nice To Haves

Three or more years of experience working in a surgical setting, including surgery scheduling.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with physicians and clinical teams to schedule surgeries at local surgery centers and hospitals, as well as pre-operative and post-operative appointments.
Coordinate necessary surgical devices and implants with vendor representatives.
Coordinate surgical assistant coverage when applicable.
Meet or communicate with patients before surgery to review pre-surgical instructions, consents, surgical estimates, insurance authorization information, and questions.
Complete surgery checklists using appropriate information and knowledge of each physician’s schedule and surgery guidelines.
Create and fax pre-operative orders to the facility along with the H&P, patient insurance, and demographic information.
Facilitate surgery cancellations, time changes, date changes, and order changes, and communicate changes to all parties involved.
Update EPIC and Outlook calendars with changes or additions to physician schedules.
Code surgery orders before sending them to the facility.
Obtain insurance benefits and authorization requirements for procedures, and arrange peer-to-peer reviews when authorizations are denied.
Request surgery cost estimates from the financial counselor, anesthesia, and facility.
Initiate the hospital or surgery center charity process for uninsured patients when applicable.
Review patient history and medications for accuracy in EPIC and verify medical or specialist clearance before surgery.
Make timely outgoing calls to patients who need to schedule procedures and check voicemails frequently to return patient calls.
Assist other surgery schedulers as needed.
Adhere to company policies, including OSHA, HIPAA, compliance, and Code of Conduct requirements.
Maintain regular and dependable attendance.
Follow the company’s core competencies available for review on CMSweb.
Work holiday shifts as required by company policy.
Assist front desk and business office staff as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.