Senior Scheduler- Full Time Days

At Houston Methodist the Senior Scheduler position is responsible for providing consumers access to care and treatment through appointmentbased availability of healthcare services at a designated facility. This position schedules patients for complex services (e.g. surgery special procedures) on a routine basis and ensures quality patient surgical and/or ancillary services scheduling by acting as a liaison between patient facility and providers to ensure exams tests and procedures are scheduled timely accurately and appropriately. Additional responsibilities include serving as a resource and trainer for less experienced and new staff. The Senior Scheduler may also preregister patients timely in the electronic health record (EHR) so precertification authorization and verification of insurance benefits can be obtained in a timely manner.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental Scope of Service and Provision of Care plans as applicable for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional ethical physical and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth dignity and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET Managing Up Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees experiential journeys to ensure strong communication ease of access to information and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organizations vision fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal departmental and organizational results.

• Serves as a liaison between patient facility and physicians to ensure exams tests and procedures are scheduled timely accurately and appropriately. Communicates special requests and addons with appropriate department team as needed.

• Communicates with departments throughout the facility when barriers to the current schedule present.

• Serves as a resource and trainer for less experienced and new staff; orients guides and mentors team members to help build confidence and competency in skills knowledge and abilities.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Schedules patients for complex services (e.g. surgery special procedures) on a routine basis accurately on the appropriate schedule. Synchronizes the appointment calendars in order to effectively schedule patients according to physician/department availability and urgency of patient service requirements as needed. May also provide preregistration services.

• Obtains valid and compliant orders and schedules patients based on the physician order and according to department criteria. Enters all diagnostic services surgical services and special procedures on the schedule as applicable.

• Confirms patients appointments instructs on location and directions to facility/department relays preappointment preparations and arranges for patients to have interpreter mobility or other assistance as needed for the visit.

• Establishes/updates the hospital account record to include detailed patient demographic and insurance information in EHR system selecting insurance plans and payers and medical necessity determination.

• Responds promptly to requests by staff patients and physicians; reschedules and/or cancels appointments as needed. Assists with resolving EHR work queues that support scheduling. Generates reports and assists with department correspondence as directed.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates to resolve patient access and quality service matters. Keeps open channels of communication with physician patient and service areas regarding action taken and outcome. Resolves complex problems and issues.

• Schedules patient appointments utilizing standard operating procedures and enters data into EHR system with a high level of thoroughness accuracy and timeliness.

• Meets scheduling goals set by the department (e.g. abandonment rate productivity/ activities per hour etc..

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Gathers demographic and insurance information so that the patients insurance may be verified authorization obtained and patients portion determined prior to the patients date of service.

• Organizes time effectively minimizing incidental overtime and sets priorities. Utilizes time between heavy workloads efficiently and helps other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development. Generates and communicates new ideas and suggestions that will improve quality or service.

This job description is not intended to be allinclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED verification of homeschool equivalency partial or full completion of postsecondary education etc.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Four years of experience in a medical setting or call center environment to include two years of medical scheduling experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job determined through ongoing skills competency assessments and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking reading and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients physicians family members and coworkers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Ability to multitask and flexibility to meet the needs of patients physicians and department

• Knowledge of midlevel registration/access functions and insurance procedures including familiarity with insurance network parameters

• Ability to problem solve

• Midlevel understanding of medical terminology and diagnosis/procedural codes

• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations with patience and understanding

• Excellent customer service and professional communication skills

• Proficient computer skills and ability to learn and navigate multiple software programs

• Ability to handle detail work accurately and rapidly

• Strong training leadership and mentoring skills

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform Yes
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) Yes

ONCALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be oncall during emergencies (ie. DIsaster Severe Weather Events etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Since 1998 Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital has been serving Fort Bend and the surrounding counties. Residents have come to rely on a level of compassionate care and leadingedge technology that was once available only in the Texas Medical Center. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospitaltied for No. 4 in Houston and No. 6 (threeway tie) in Texas in U.S. News & World Reports best hospital rankings in 2020.With 316 operating beds 24 operating rooms and over 2400 employees Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital was designed to provide comprehensive personalized care for the community.