Scheduler Jobs

Obtaining a job as a medical scheduler requires certification and knowledge of basic scheduler software packages. For advanced or specialized fields such as bariatrics, obstetrics and oncology a more defined level of education may be required. Medical schedulers manage the inner workings of an office and duties include obtaining patient records, determining the amount of time each patient will see a physician, the first stage of medical billing and preventing conflicts with patient scheduling.

Medical schedulers must be able to multi task and be able to do advanced planning. Software packages will provide the user with the ability to see time blocks that are not available, preexisting meetings, vacation schedules and any other appointments that could cause an overlap in the timeframe. Certified medical schedulers will also be able to process billing codes and handle certain aspects of accounts payable and account receivable. More and more medical trade schools are incorporating medical scheduling and coding into their curriculum.

Most medical schedulers will find doctors offices, clinics and care facilities as their staple of employment but hospitals, outpatient surgical offices and rehabilitation centers are other avenues of potential employment. Medical scheduling software packages can only provide a certain percentage of coverage; it is the human interaction and patient knowledge that keeps an office, facility or care center functioning on schedule. Knowing which patients will require more time with a doctor or that may need special help getting in and out of a facility are things that a software package can not take into consideration.

One of the specialized fields in medical scheduling is that of surgical scheduling. This position requires knowledge of the procedure, estimated time from preparation to completion, accessing the surgeon"s schedule, communicating with the patient about the scheduling and ensuring that the surgical team, anesthesiologist and operating room staff are all informed of changes. On average, medical schedulers that work in a surgical suite make 13% more than those that work in a clinic or doctors office. The starting salary for a medical scheduler is between $25,000 and $32,000. Having a degree or being licensed can add an additional ten to fifteen percent to your yearly income.

Larger cities like San Diego, Chicago, Houston, New York and Los Angeles offer competitive compensation packages for qualified medical and surgical schedulers. It is an excellent gateway job for those in nursing school and larger offices may also offer tuition reimbursement as well as guaranteed placement upon graduation from nursing school. This benefits the student as they will have patient interaction, experience and a guaranteed place of employment and the office manager will know that there is a one to two year commitment in place.

Medical and surgical schedulers provide a specialized service to the medical community. Not only are they responsible for managing the schedule of the doctor or doctors they are also interactive with patients, their families and insurance companies. They manage appointment times, breaks, consultations, outside appointments and conferences.