Surgery Counselor

Surgery Counselor

The Surgery Counselor is responsible for coordinating all aspects of surgical scheduling for an ophthalmology practice, ensuring a seamless experience for patients and providers. A Surgery Counselor is the Clinical counterpart to a Surgery Scheduler. This role serves as the primary liaison between patients, surgeons, and surgical facilities, managing pre-operative and post-operative appointments, insurance authorizations, and patient education. The Surgery Counselor plays a critical role in ensuring efficient surgical scheduling and a positive patient experience.

Advanced Patient Care Coordination

• Coordinates and schedules surgeries, ensuring accuracy in procedure details, provider availability, and facility coordination.
• Communicates with patients regarding surgery dates, instructions, and necessary preparations, including pre-operative and post-operative care.
• Secures insurance authorizations and verifies coverage for surgical procedures, working closely with insurance companies and patients.
• Ensures all pre-operative requirements, such as medical clearances and diagnostic testing, are completed before surgery.
• Acts as a liaison between the practice, surgical facilities, and patients to ensure seamless coordination.
• Provides patients with detailed financial information regarding surgical costs, payment plans, and insurance coverage.
• Maintains an organized scheduling system to prevent conflicts and optimize surgical efficiency.
• Assists in the development and implementation of scheduling policies and best practices to improve workflow.
• Monitors and follows up on post-operative appointments to ensure continuity of care.
• Ensures compliance with HIPAA and OSHA regulations, maintaining patient confidentiality and safety at all times.
• Addresses and resolves scheduling conflicts, cancellations, or patient concerns promptly and professionally.
• Ensures 20/20 Patient Experience by:
• Anticipating patient's registration and billing needs,
• Anticipating patient's needs, such as water, snacks, etc.
• Providing consistent customer care

Other Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to confidentiality, ensuring that all patient information is protected and handled in compliance with applicable regulations.
• Strong attention to detail, ensuring accurate record-keeping and documentation.
• Participate in all required trainings and employee engagement activities.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

What You'll Bring

• High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of two years of surgical scheduling experience in a healthcare setting, preferably in ophthalmology.
• COA preferred.
• Advanced proven knowledge of all front desk procedures.
• If internal applicant, must qualify for Ophthalmic Tech II. Must have a letter of recommendation from someone in leadership within SEES (Manager, Regional Director of Clinical Operations for your region, or Support Center Leadership.)
• Completion of at least 10 Qualifying SEES Advancement Credits every 24 months.
• Strong understanding of insurance verification, prior authorizations, and billing procedures related to surgical services.
• Experience with electronic health records (EHR) systems and practice management software.
• Excellent organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively coordinate with patients, providers, and surgical facilities.
• Ability to problem-solve, manage time efficiently, and handle high-pressure situations with professionalism.
• Dependable transportation required for travel to other locations as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Patient Experience Understanding and anticipate the patient's needs. Proactively strives to exceed our patient's expectations and provide ongoing education and communication.
• Proactive- Keep others informed. Ask for help when needed, brings any challenges or concerns to leadership.
• Analytical mind- capable of out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems.
• Professionalism- Displaying cautious, helpful, and ethical behavior. Maintaining composure even under difficult and challenging circumstances.
• Excellent Communication Skills written & verbal. Focus on becoming an active listener to better understand the needs of co-workers and patients.
• Drive for Results Strives for improving the patient experience by committing to continuous improvement and doing above and beyond for optimal outcomes.
• Focus on Efficiency Utilizes technology, innovation, and process improvements to continuously improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Teamwork- Participates as a team member and establishes strong working relationships with teammates and across the organization.
• Celebrates Change- Receptive to new ideas and responds to changes with flexibility and optimism.
• Forward-thinking attitude Consider how your actions and behavior influence or affect others, and how will this impact your future growth in the company.
• Continues Learning and Improvement- Acknowledges own strengths and development needs and works to strengthen capabilities.

Ownership Skills:

• Help foster a positive workplace environment that encourages accountability, collaboration, and transparency.
• Self-awareness; understanding your learning style and personality traits. Focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.
• Pride in one's work by asking questions when needed, providing feedback, and completed job tasks in a timely manner.
• Aligning job responsibilities and projects with the company's goal and mission.
• Pro-active measures in daily work that anticipates problems and develops solutions.
• Ask for clarification when needed. Work in an organized and structured environment to minimize stress during busy workdays.
• Confidence to express ideas and solutions during meetings or projects. Openness to other employee's opinions and feedback.
• Establish performance goals and align personal interest and career aspiration with new tasks and responsibilities.
• Offer solutions to problems rather than presenting issues.
• Ask for constructive feedback regarding job performance.
• Share responsibility for actively maintaining "workload items" for clinical and support buckets.

Physical Requirement:

• Exerting up to twenty-five pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Repetitive motion. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Have close visual acuity to perform an activity including viewing a computer terminal, extensive reading, interpretation, etc.
• Must possess the physical, mental, and cognitive skills needed to complete essential tasks, including abilities such as learning, remembering, focusing, categorizing, and integrating information for comprehension, problem-solving, and timely decision-making.
• Must be able to be stationary for prolonged periods of time.

Benefits May Include:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid Time Off & Holidays
• Life & Disability Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Continuing Education Support
• Certification Sponsorship
• Employee Eyewear Discounts
• Referral Bonus Opportunities

Ready to Join Our Team?

If you're passionate about patient care, professional growth, and making a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and help us build the future of eye care.