Surgery Scheduler Manager

JOB SUMMARY The Surgery Scheduling Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing all operations within the Surgery Department, which includes both the Surgery Scheduling and Pre-Certification teams. This role ensures the efficient coordination of surgical procedures by working closely with patients, physicians, hospital systems, anesthesia providers, laboratories, and other healthcare partners. The manager also oversees physician block scheduling at various hospitals, ensuring surgeries are scheduled accurately, timely, and in accordance with clinical and administrative guidelines. This position plays a key role in optimizing patient care, supporting physician needs, and maintaining operational excellence across all surgical scheduling functions.

DUTIES AND ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Surgery Department Management Responsibilities

· Manages the daily operations of the Surgery Department, including direct oversight of both the Surgery Scheduling and Pre-Certification teams and their respective responsibilities outlined below.

· Monitors the status of pending and scheduled surgeries through regular reporting and tracking tools.

· Conducts monthly audits of pending cases to ensure timely patient communication, appropriate case routing, and adherence to scheduling timelines.

· Oversees the pre-certification process to ensure accurate insurance verification and timely authorization.

· Updates clinical policies and procedures as needed; develops and maintains checklists and tools to support team consistency and efficiency.

· Collaborates with the Revenue Cycle team to review insurance denials and implement process improvements to minimize future occurrences.

· Holds monthly virtual team meetings and quarterly in-person meetings to maintain effective communication and alignment.

· Meets regularly with the Pre-Certification team to stay current on insurance requirements and clinical policy updates.

· Presents Surgery Department updates at Administration and General Staff Meetings as needed.

· Completes annual performance evaluations for all Surgery Department staff.

· Oversees departmental payroll submissions through the Proliant system.

· Participates in Monthly Operations Meetings with Clinic and Surgery Center leadership.

· Presents data on outpatient hospital cases and audit findings, such as same-day cancellations, to identify trends and improve outcomes.

· Collaborates with Clinical Leaders to address operational concerns within the department.

· Partners with physicians as needed to ensure their scheduling needs are being met and to support patient care coordination.

Managed Scheduling Responsibilities

The Surgery Scheduling Manager oversees the execution of the following duties performed by the Surgery Scheduling team:

· Coordination and scheduling of non-clinic surgeries, hospital admissions, procedures, and specialized testing for inpatient, outpatient, or ambulatory surgery centers—including all associated services such as anesthesia, physical therapy, and home health care.

· Scheduling surgeries in alignment with provider protocols and specific facility requirements.

· Ensuring the completion and timely submission of all required documentation, including surgical orders, patient consent forms, history and physical (H&P) notes, insurance verification, and demographic data.

· Monitoring follow-ups on outstanding documentation or scheduling issues to ensure surgeries proceed without delay.

· Facilitating communication with providers to confirm or clarify surgery orders and procedural requirements.

· Supporting patient education efforts by ensuring patients are informed about their upcoming surgeries and referring clinical inquiries to licensed medical staff as appropriate.

· Coordinating with primary care providers to obtain necessary medical or cardiac clearance and confirming that documentation is received by the surgical facility on schedule.

· Ensuring collaboration with the Pre-Certification team to verify insurance eligibility and obtain prior authorizations to secure payment for services.

· Managing the referral process to the Pre-Certification team or Central Billing Office (CBO) for financial counseling or insurance-related questions.

· Overseeing the tracking of scheduled procedures and documenting reasons for any surgical delays, cancellations, or rescheduling events.

· Reviewing and providing timely status updates and reports on all scheduled and canceled procedures to department leadership.

· Maintaining and overseeing the organization of digital surgery packets to support smooth scheduling operations.

· Ensuring escalation of patient or provider concerns to the appropriate physician or leadership contact in a timely and professional manner.

· Promoting consistent use of AIDET communication techniques (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thank You) in patient and provider interactions to support a positive experience.

Other functions and Responsibilities

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities and duties associated with the role. It is not an exhaustive list of all tasks that may be assigned. Responsibilities may evolve or change at any time, with or without prior notice, to meet the needs of the organization.

COMPETENCIES

1. Patient & Customer Focus

2. Ethical Conduct

3. Flexibility

4. Initiative

5. Personal Effectiveness/Credibility

6. Stress Management/Composure

7. Proficiency with the electronic medical record (EMR)

8. Proficiency with Outlook

9. Working knowledge of ICD-10 and CPT coding

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

· Associate’s degree

· Three (3) or more years of experience in a healthcare setting

· Two years of supervisory experience and leadership

· Previous experience with verification of eligibility and benefits, referrals, and pre-authorizations

Preferred

· Bilingual Spanish