Leadership, Team Management, and Operational Oversight
- Supervises the daily operations of the surgery coordination team, ensuring adequate coverage and balanced workloads
- Participates in the hiring process for new team members.
- Trains, mentors, and evaluates staff to ensure strong performance and adherence to standards.
- Provides ongoing coaching to improve communication, scheduling accuracy, and patient support.
- Conducts regular team meetings to review workflow changes, performance metrics, and process improvements.
- Oversees all ophthalmic surgery scheduling, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and adherence to surgeon preferences, block times, and facility protocols.
- Collaborates with surgeons, clinical leadership, and ASC/Hospital partners to ensure seamless coordination across all sites.
- Mitigates schedule conflicts and troubleshoot escalated issues involving patient concerns, documentation, or insurance authorization.
- Identify operational inefficiencies and implement process improvements to enhance scheduling accuracy, patient flow, and staff productivity
- Develop, update and communicate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for surgery coordination functions.
- Collaborate with leadership to align surgery coordination process with strategic goals and patient access initiatives
- Participates in cross-functional committees or projects involving clinical operations, revenue cycle, or patient experience.
Surgical Scheduling and Calendar Management
- Schedules ophthalmic surgeries (e.g. cataract, glaucoma, retina, oculoplastic, pediatric) according to surgeon availability and facility requirements.
- Coordinates pre-op testing (biometry, OCT, topography, labs, PCP clearance) as required.
- Confirms all necessary equipment, lenses (IOLs), and special supplies are ordered ahead of procedure dates.
- Coordinates, processes, and routes all paperwork as required to meet physician and facility requirements. Provides accurate, thorough, and complete documentation of all information pertinent to patient treatment(s).
Insurance & Authorization Management
- Ensure the team completes and documents all prior authorizations, insurance verifications, and benefits discussions accurately.
- Obtains pre-authorizations for surgery, ensure coverage, and verify benefits for surgical procedures, diagnostic tests, and special implants (e.g. premium IOLs)
- Documents authorization details in the EMR and communicate requirements to patients
- Provides cost estimates and discuss financial responsibility when appropriate.
Patient Coordination and Communication
- Standardize patient education workflows for cataract, glaucoma, retina, oculoplastic, and corneal surgeries
- Oversee the accuracy of pre-op requirements including testing, clearances, and lens/supply ordering.
- Contacts patients to confirm surgery dates, arrival times, and instructions
- Provides patients with pre-operative and post-operative instructions and education materials.
- Answers patient questions about preparation, recovery, medications, and timelines via all communication methods
- Schedules postoperative appointments.
- Interacts with patients, physicians, and other staff in office and at the surgical facility as needed.
Clinical Operations and Patient Support
- Tracks and follows up on post-op care, surgical outcomes, and any required rescheduling.
- Maintains accurate waitlists and optimizes block time usage for surgeons.
- Serves as the primary point of contact for patients throughout the surgical process.,
- Provides compassionate support to reduce patient anxiety and improve overall satisfaction.
- Contribute to team effort by completing additional tasks or projects as directed.
- Attends Surgical Center meetings as needed and approved by management.
Documentation, Chart Preparation, and Compliance
- Audit surgical charts, documentation packets, consent completion, and EMR entries to maintain quality and consistency.
- Audit co-management process through EMR and any third-party software to ensure accuracy of use, completion, and quality.
- Prepares and maintains accurate surgical packets, consent forms, charts, and operative documentation.
- Coordinates communication between surgeons, ASC or hospital teams, anesthesia, and referring providers.
- Maintains up-to-date documentation and knowledge regarding co-management with referring providers and ensures compliance with the scheduling
- Ensures medical clearances are completed and documented as needed.
- Ensures all documentation meets regulatory, medical, and organizational standards.
- Maintains accurate logs for surgeries, cancellations, and reschedules.
Protects patients information under HIPAA guidelines.
