Surgery Scheduling Specialist - Spanish-Speaking Preferred (Departmental Promotional Only)

Salary : $72,321.60 - $90,459.20 Annually
Location : County of San Mateo, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: E414Z
Department: San Mateo Medical Center
Opening Date: 03/05/2025
Closing Date: 3/19/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 37

Description
San Mateo Medical Center is seeking an experienced Surgery Scheduling Specialist for a Full-Time, Regular position for the Surgery Department. The Surgery Scheduling Specialist provides technical, complex and specialized administrative support to surgeons and patients scheduled for surgery, which includes interaction with operating room staff and patients; handles multiple competing priorities; interacts with diverse customer groups; handles multiple patient-related tasks such as tracking patient financials to ensure information is correctly entered; and moves patients from the clinic to the operating room, including all pre-operative processes necessary for the patients prior to surgery, pre-op process sheets and clinic schedules, data entry of items into the operative database, financial reconciliation, and post-op order sets, and may have some responsibilities for ordering supplies or equipment.

The ideal candidate for this position will possess excellent communications skills, including the ability to communicate complex medical terminology to a variety of people with varying levels of medical knowledge. In addition, they would possess skills in conflict resolution, and problem solving. The ideal candidate will have the ability to work with challenging patients, and patients who may have a language or communication barrier. This position will require attention to detail, and therefore the ideal candidate will possess strong organizational skills, interpersonal skills and the ability to multi-task.

NOTE: The ability to speak, read and write in fluent English and Spanish is preferred for this position.

Duties for this position may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Tracking patient financials to be sure they are correctly entered.
• Scheduling patients in the procedure clinic.
• Updating the pre-op process sheet and clinic schedule in the computer.
• Entering data into the operative database.
• Interfacing between the Operating Room and Surgeon.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Medical terminology as related to patient services support work.
• Policies and procedures related to patient services office support and hospital or clinic business office activities.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Basic business data processing principles and the use of word processing or computing equipment.
• Proper form for typed materials.
• Business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.

Skill/Ability to:

• Perform technical, specialized, complex or difficult patient services office support work.
• Organize, prioritize and coordinate work activities.
• Read, interpret and apply rules, policies and procedures.
• Organize, research and maintain patient and general office files.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
• Compose routine correspondence from brief instructions.
• Make arithmetic calculations with speed and accuracy.
• Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Operate standard office equipment, including a word processor, personal or on-line computer, and centralized telephone equipment.

Note: Specific positions may require the ability to type at a rate of 40 net words per minute from printed copy.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• One year of journey level office support experience in a patient services setting.

Application/Examination
Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees in San Mateo County Health with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, SEIU or AFSCME represented extra-help/term position prior to the final filing date may apply.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and/or supplemental questionnaire. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. PST
Application Screening: Week of March 19, 2025
Civil Service Panel/Departmental Interviews: Week of April 1, 2025
About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.
Analyst: Debbie Kong (03052025) (Patient Services Specialist - E414)
Please visit for a complete listing of all benefits for this classification.
Benefits are offered to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. All benefits are subject to change.
NOTE: Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 may be subject to new Pension Reform retirement laws.
As an additional benefit, the County offers extensive training and development programs designed to improve skills and enhance career opportunities. Most programs are offered on County time at no cost to you.
County employees are also covered by the federal Social Security system and earn benefits for retirement based on salary and time worked.
01

IMPORTANT: Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the following supplemental questions. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process. Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

• Proceed to supplemental questions.

02

This is a Departmental Promotional Only recruitment. Only current San Mateo County employees in San Mateo County Health with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, SEIU or AFSCME represented extra-help/term position prior to the final filing date may apply. Do you meet this requirement? (A "No" answer will disqualify you from this recruitment.)

• Yes
• No

03

Copy OF (Fluency (speak, read, write) in Spanish is preferred but NOT required for this position. Are you fluent in Spanish? (A "No" answer to this question will NOT disqualify you from this recruitment.))

• Yes
• No

04

Describe the training, education, and experience that have prepared you for the position of Surgery Scheduling Specialist. Include your experience working with specialty clinics, surgeons and operating rooms.
05

Describe a situation that demonstrates your ability to multi-task, and deal with last minute changes and interruptions. Provide a specific example.
06

Describe your experience working in the medical field and your familiarity with medical terminology.
07

Describe your experience working with a diverse patient population, and explaining medical/surgical procedures to people with varying degrees of familiarity with the medical field. Describe the challenges and the methods you used to be successful. Be specific.
Required Question