Responsibilities

• Ensure adequate availability of surgical services including availability of surgeons and operating rooms to accommodate anticipated surgery volumes.
• Patients are scheduled in a manner that provides access in medically required timeframes and allows for a positive patient experience.
• Patient’s insurance coverage is considered in order to schedule in the appropriate facility, in a manner that is sensitive to the cost to the patient, and patients are informed of out-of-pocket costs, and the various entities involved in the surgery, in advance of the surgery.
• All notes, orders, and other required documentation is communicated to all necessary parties in required timeframes ahead of the surgery. This includes surgical facilities, the anesthesiologists and assistant surgeons.Key Job Functions:

• Lead by example by communicating professionally with staff, patients, doctors, facilities, and insurance companies.
• Review and promote the practices core values
• Receive feedback from facility director or physician and if warranted develop policy.
• Be available for facility, physician, staff and engage in productive dialogue.
• Provide feedback to the staff regarding what is working or not working, and the results of the changes made.
• Receive from other staff concerns that come up and address them with the staff
• All necessary information is being communicated to appropriate party timely and as per established guidelines.
• Monitor staff communication, provide feedback to staff, make changes to policies or procedures as needed.
• Assert urgency of situation as needed.
• Any changes to schedule must be communicated with facility, physician and if applicable with assistant surgeon and anesthesia group.

• Surgeries are scheduled within recommended timeframe.
• Patients are contacted within established timeframe guidelines.
• Patients are scheduled at appropriate facility based on insurance and acuity.
• All necessary information is obtained from patients and provided to facilities.
• Review schedules, place necessary safeguards in place, plan for alternate measures to ensure there is room to perform emergency surgeries.
• Review outstanding cases by physicians and propose necessary solutions such as switching facility, swapping physicians or additional day.

• Eligibility is verified and prior authorization is obtained for all surgeries.
• Patients are prepared to pay their responsible portion at the time of check in or prior.
• Any payment arrangements have been made ahead of time and as per policy.
• All necessary information, such as insurance, amount to collect is communicated to facility by end of previous business day.
• All necessary information is uploaded and provided to charge coding for proper billing of claims.
• Audit scheduled appointments to verify quoted patient portion, patient being informed of their responsibility within established timeframe and authorization status.
  

• Develop and implement new guidelines based on the needs of the department.
• Coach and train team on new and existing policies.
• Review workload and if needed adjust task allocation between team members as appropriate.
• Review completed task list, call list, outstanding task list and scheduled appointment list to monitor quantity and quality of work and ensuring team is meeting established production metrics.
• Provide support and guidance to surgery scheduling team.

• Teambuilding - Promotes teamwork through team meetings and activities. Monitor employee engagement through interactions with employees.
• New Hires – recruiting, interviewing, onboarding and training of new team members.
• Other – Other duties as directed.

Required Skills

• Skills and Abilities
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to resolve competing interests.
  • Flexibility to accommodate changes calmly and quickly.
  • Ability to access situations in a changing environment and make quick decisions.
  • Independent judgement skills and ability to direct staff.
  • Understanding when to assist staff who are seeking assistance.
  • Ability to forecast and plan for three to four months in the future.
  • Ability to accurately maintain, analyze, and keep current data.
  • Ability to apply the policies and procedures set forth in the Employee Handbook.
  • Ability to exercise discretion with sensitive and confidential situations and documentation, and to conduct daily duties in a professional manner.
  • Ability to organize and prioritize work when there are multiple, competing duties, yet maintain an ability to complete the duties in an accurate and timely manner.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal form.
  • Ability to demonstrate consistency in interpersonal behaviors such as friendliness, courtesy, sensitivity, concern, tact, respect and cooperation with the intent of providing high quality service to all those encountered in the course of work.
  • Ability to work under minimal supervision.
  • Regular and consistent punctuality and attendance.
  • Remain calm and professional under pressure.
  • Ability to receive and give constructive feedback.
    
• Knowledge
  • Knowledge of computers, Microsoft Office, and scheduling software.
  • Knowledge of supervisory best practices.
  • Knowledge of insurance eligibility and authorizations.
  • Knowledge of the healthcare industry.

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  Experience
  • Minimum of three years of supervisory experience, five years preferred.
  • Strong insurance eligibility and authorization background.
  • Prior experience in calculating and collecting patient responsibility.
  • Prior scheduling experience required; surgery scheduling preferred.
  • Ophthalmology experience preferred.

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  Essential Physical and Mental Functions
  • Employees may experience the following physical demand for extended periods of time:
  • Ability to work in fast paced, ever changing environment, requiring need to balance competing demands.
  • Sitting and viewing computer screen for extended periods, up to 85% of the time.
  • Keyboarding, up to 90% of the time on some days.
  • Standing, up to 45% of the time on some workdays.
  • Lifting, reaching and bending, up to 45% of the time.
  • Close visual acuity required to perform duties such as viewing a computer terminal, and to determine accuracy and thoroughness of work.
  • Ability to apply logical thinking to a wide range of problems.
  • Work is performed in a normal, business office environment, with exposure to elements in and around a medical clinic environment. Occasional evening and weekend work. Local remote work possible, occasional in office work required.