Lead Scheduling Secretary, OR

UPMC Mercy Health Center; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC Mercy is seeking a Lead Scheduling Secretary for the Operating Room to join our Centralized Surgical Scheduling team. The role focuses on coordinating complex surgical schedules and acting as the liaison for patients, families, physicians, and the surgical team.

The ideal candidate has prior experience in surgical services, strong communication skills, and a proactive leadership mindset to support departmental operations and staff.

Qualifications

• 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.

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 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 scheduling information.
• Serve as a resource and subject matter expert for Surgical Services Secretaries, providing guidance and support on scheduling processes.

Skills

Surgical scheduling

Customer service

Leadership

Communication

Job description

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

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.