Surgery Scheduler

Job Description

Job Description

Position Profile:          Surgery Coordinator

Reports to:        Operations Manager/Physician

POSITION  SUMMARY:

This position is responsible for all aspects of scheduling surgery and other outpatient procedures for a patient including admissions.  Performs some insurance verification and pre-certifications. It requires excellent communication skills with parents, managed care organizations, physicians, hospital surgery scheduling departments and outpatient surgery scheduling departments.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS:

•    At the decision for surgery this employee will either meet with or call the parent to schedule a date for surgery and explain surgery protocols to them.

•    Will schedule in- patient admissions.

•    Will schedule outpatient procedures such as MRI, CT, or other testing required.

•    Prepares surgery information packets and mails surgery information to parent.

•    Answers all patient/parent questions regarding surgery or procedures to ensure compliance and patient satisfaction.

•    Notifies parent of insurance benefits, any amount due to PENTA prior to surgery date and collect money.

•    To maximize potential for reimbursement performs the following:

•    Verifies all surgeries and procedures with insurance plan.

•    Obtains. Precertification for surgery and procedures if require

•    Maintains records of all verified surgeries and procedures to provide to reimbursement department.

•      Stays current with carrier requirements to ensure all are met in order to maximize our potential for reimbursement.

•    Ensures that appropriate procedure and diagnosis coding is utilized in the precertification and verification process and questions physicians to ensure accuracy and completeness of information.

•    Coordinates cases with other PENTA physicians and/or other surgeons outside of this practice. 

SUPERVISORY DUTIES:

None     

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

•    High School education or G.E.D., or equivalent. Completion of a course as a medical assistant would be an advantage.

•    Previous experience in surgery scheduling is required.

•    Clinical and coding experience preferred.

•    Previous patient contact work in a medical practice is required.

•    Possesses a preference for dealing with people who are ill and need help.

•    Possesses the tact to deal effectively with patients, parents, physicians and other employees in the practice as well as insurance carriers and hospital personnel.

•    Possesses the ability to coordinate multiple tasks in detail.

•    Able to take the initiative and drive to take a project from its inception to a successful conclusion.

•    Has strong written and oral communication skills.

WORKING ENVIORNMENT:

Physical Demands:

Lifting Requirements: 

•    Frequency of lifting 20-40 lbs., 0-15% of time.

•    Average percent of time during regular shift devoted to: standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Additional Physical Demands:

•    Ability to grasp with both hands; pinch with thumb or forefinger; turn with hand/arm; reach above shoulder height

•    Ability to operate multi-line telephone system; computer keyboard.

Visual, Hearing, Dexterity and Mental Demands:

•    Vision:  Adequate to perform the essential functions of the job such as read a computer terminal for long periods of time. Correctable to 20/20.

•    Hearing: Adequate to perform the essential functions of the job such as answering the phone and communicating with patients.

•    Speaking: Adequate to perform the essential functions of the job such as communicating via telephone or in person for the purposes of surgery scheduling and providing patient information.

•    Adequate to perform the essential functions of the job such as 

o    Multi-tasks of accumulating data

o    Sorting papers

o    Stapling/operating office equipment

o    Documenting information

o    Dealing with upset patients/parents 

o    Uncooperative insurance carriers

o    No problems with dealing with stressful situations in regard to physician demands vs. availability of surgery block time