Lead Scheduling Secretary, OR

Lead Scheduling Secretary, Operating Room

UPMC Mercy | Full-Time | Daylight Schedule

UPMC Mercy is seeking an experienced Lead Scheduling Secretary to join our Centralized Surgical Scheduling team. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organized professional with surgical scheduling experience who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys being the key connection between patients, families, physicians, and the surgical team.

In this role, you'll do more than schedule procedures. You'll serve as a trusted liaison, helping coordinate care, resolve scheduling challenges, support providers and staff, and ensure an exceptional experience for everyone involved in the surgical process.

What We're Looking For:

• Previous experience in a surgical services or operating room setting
• Experience scheduling surgical procedures and coordinating complex schedules
• Strong customer service and communication skills
• Ability to build positive relationships with patients, families, physicians, and clinical staff
• Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced healthcare environment
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills
• Ability to take initiative and support departmental operations beyond scheduling responsibilities
• Leadership experience or the ability to serve as a resource and mentor to team members is preferred

Why Join UPMC Mercy?

• Full-time daylight schedule
• Collaborative, team-focused environment
• Opportunity to play a critical role in patient care coordination
• Leadership responsibilities with opportunities for professional growth
• Meaningful work supporting patients throughout their surgical journey

If you're a customer-focused professional with surgical scheduling experience and a passion for helping patients and healthcare teams succeed, we'd love to hear from you!

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all surgical scheduling activities for inpatient and outpatient procedures, ensuring accuracy and adherence to departmental guidelines.
• Communicate effectively with surgeons, physician offices, patients, and ancillary departments in a professional, courteous, and respectful manner.
• Verify surgeon privileges, scheduling requirements, and suspension status prior to booking procedures.
• Enter, maintain, and validate scheduling data to ensure accuracy of surgical reservations and daily schedules.
• Collaborate with the Service Center and physician offices to obtain and communicate accurate scheduling information.
• Serve as a resource and subject matter expert for Surgical Services Secretaries, providing guidance and support on scheduling processes and problem resolution.
• Assist with interviewing, onboarding, training, and performance evaluation of new Surgical Services Secretaries.
• Demonstrate strong problem-solving skills and apply departmental policies and procedures to resolve scheduling issues efficiently.
• Review and verify daily surgical schedules with surgeons and office managers to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Develop and maintain monthly staffing schedules for department secretaries.
• Assume supervisory responsibilities in the absence of the Unit Director/Supervisor, including finalization of the surgical schedule and oversight of departmental operations.
• Carry the weekend scheduling beeper and provide support for scheduling issues as needed when leadership is unavailable.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records, ensuring procedural information is readily accessible for reference.
• Compile and report statistical and operational data as requested.
• Demonstrate knowledge of UPMC programs, services, and resources to effectively support patients, providers, and staff.
• Foster collaboration within the healthcare team and communicate potential issues or concerns to leadership.
• Provide leadership in conflict resolution and support a positive, team-oriented work environment.
• Uphold patient confidentiality and organizational standards while delivering exceptional customer service.
• Assist colleagues and perform additional duties as assigned to support departmental operations.

• Completion of a business or secretarial school or 3 year of experience in scheduling in a health care setting. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. 
• Accurate typist and ability to use transcription machine. 
• Experience in guest relations is preferred. 
• Experience with computer-based systems preferred. 
• Individual must function well under stressful conditions. 
• Excellent organizational skills, tact, patience and understanding. 
• Knowledge of medical terminology.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Act 34

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran