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What Does a Surgery Scheduler Do?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

A surgery scheduler coordinates appointments for operating rooms to streamline the delivery of services and prioritize cases appropriately. The job includes interacting with patients and surgical teams as well as handling customer service activities like answering phones in some facilities. A high school diploma is usually required to work in this field, and some hospitals may prefer people with experience in the medical field. In lieu of experience, formal training in medical terminology and administration through a community college or technical school can be helpful.

Software is commonly used to help hospitals manage their operating room space. The surgery scheduler books specific operating rooms, following the facility’s protocol, and makes sure personnel know where they are scheduled. This includes fully staffing rooms with full timers or relief personnel as appropriate. Last minute changes may be necessary in emergencies, when surgeries run over, and in other situations, in which case the scheduler needs to act quickly to resolve the issue and get procedures back on track.

A surgery scheduler determines the order in which surgical procedures will be performed.
A surgery scheduler determines the order in which surgical procedures will be performed.

Surgery schedulers can provide information to patients about when to arrive and how to prepare. They may also collect deposits or insurance information so they can request a preauthorization letter. This ensures that the procedure is paid for or the patient is aware of the obligation before the surgery. A surgery scheduler can also handle billing, which may require familiarity with coding systems used to describe different procedures in a standardized fashion.

Surgery schedulers have to work closely with hospital bed management staff to ensure there are enough beds available for surgical patients.
Surgery schedulers have to work closely with hospital bed management staff to ensure there are enough beds available for surgical patients.

It may be necessary to coordinate with other offices in a hospital. The surgery scheduler needs to know that recovery beds will be available for patients after their surgeries, for example, and that wards will have space for them if they need to stay hospitalized. This can require working with hospital bed management staff to reserve spaces and move patients around if necessary. In an emergency situation where numerous trauma cases enter a hospital, the surgery scheduler would work with the emergency department to triage and assign cases by urgency.

Aspiring surgery schedulers typically benefit from learning at least some degree of medical knowledge.
Aspiring surgery schedulers typically benefit from learning at least some degree of medical knowledge.

Working schedules can vary. In some facilities, actual operating hours are limited and a surgery schedule may not be needed late at night because personnel can coordinate if a late night case comes in. Other facilities require staff to work late to manage operating room flow and handle emergencies. It may be possible to work several different shifts, and some workplaces create flexible hours for personnel to accommodate further professional training or other needs.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a PracticalAdultInsights researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a PracticalAdultInsights researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

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    • A surgery scheduler determines the order in which surgical procedures will be performed.
      By: derege
      A surgery scheduler determines the order in which surgical procedures will be performed.
    • Surgery schedulers have to work closely with hospital bed management staff to ensure there are enough beds available for surgical patients.
      By: Agence DER
      Surgery schedulers have to work closely with hospital bed management staff to ensure there are enough beds available for surgical patients.
    • Aspiring surgery schedulers typically benefit from learning at least some degree of medical knowledge.
      By: xixinxing
      Aspiring surgery schedulers typically benefit from learning at least some degree of medical knowledge.
    • A surgery scheduler coordinates appointments for operating rooms.
      By: Peter Atkins
      A surgery scheduler coordinates appointments for operating rooms.
    • A surgery scheduler will book operating rooms and make sure personnel know they are schedule to perform the surgery.
      By: Tyler Olson
      A surgery scheduler will book operating rooms and make sure personnel know they are schedule to perform the surgery.
    • A surgery scheduler should be aware of the number of recovery beds available for patients after their procedure.
      By: cappui
      A surgery scheduler should be aware of the number of recovery beds available for patients after their procedure.