JobsAdvocate Health

Referral Coordinator & Surgical Scheduler - General Surgery Clinic

Advocate Health · Park Ridge, IL

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to schedule or reschedule a surgical case on short notice. What happened and how did you handle it?

composure and process under time pressure, a daily reality in this role

Tell me about a time you caught a billing or charge error before it went out. How did you find it?

attention to detail on the charge entry and revenue verification part of the job

Describe a time you had to tell a provider their preferred OR time wasn't available. How did you handle that conversation?

ability to manage pushback from physicians while protecting schedule integrity

Tell me about a time you worked as part of a referral or scheduling team and had to hand off information to a coworker cleanly. What made it work or not work?

communication habits in a role that depends on accurate handoffs between staff

Describe how you've handled a heavy volume of incoming calls in a past job while also getting your own task list done.

ability to sustain accuracy and calm in a fast-paced, high-noise office environment

Technical

What's your experience with surgery scheduling systems, and have you worked with WorkQue specifically?

how much ramp-up time they'll need on the specific software the clinic uses

How do you go about verifying a patient's insurance authorization is in place before a procedure gets scheduled?

understanding of the referral and authorization process, since this is a dual referral/scheduling role

How do you keep track of next-day and future OR schedules so nothing falls through the cracks when things change last minute?

personal organization system for a high-volume, constantly shifting schedule

What's your background with referral coordination and insurance authorizations in a healthcare setting?

whether their prior experience actually matches the referral half of this dual role

Situational

Walk me through how you'd coordinate an OR slot when the surgeon, anesthesia, and a required imaging department all have different availability that week.

whether the candidate can juggle multi-party scheduling constraints without dropping a piece

A patient calls the day before surgery and their pre-op labs or H&P were never sent over. What do you do?

knowledge of pre-surgical requirements and how they chase down missing clinical documentation

If you're on the phone with a distressed patient and another line is ringing with what sounds like an urgent provider request, how do you decide what to handle first?

triage judgment and prioritization under competing demands

What would you do if you noticed the OR schedule you're about to distribute conflicts with what another department has on file?

how they resolve discrepancies before they cause downstream problems

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 02400 AMG Park Ridge 1875 Dempster POB - Surgery Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: • Monday-Friday – 8.5 hour day with a lunch. • Operation Hours: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM • E xperience in surgery scheduling and WorkQue scheduling, preferred. • This is a dual role that includes both referral coordinating & surgical scheduling. Pay Range: $21.85 - $32.80 Where You Will Work :  Aurora Medical Group (AMG) is part of  Advocate Health , one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems. With more than 350 locations across Illinois and Wisconsin, AMG offers a wide range of specialties and services, including primary care, medical and surgical care, pediatrics, women’s health, behavioral health, and more. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional care and improving health outcomes in the communities we serve. Joining AMG means being part of a collaborative, patient-focused environment where innovation and quality care thrive.  We’re Looking For:   • High School Diploma • Typically requires 1 year of experience in a health care setting performing customer service functions that may include experiences in scheduling, registration, insurance authorization and/or patient billing What You’ll Do:   Schedule:  Monday-Friday. Between operation hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. 8.5 hour day with a lunch. As a  Surgical Scheduler  you’ll play a vital role in the care team – supporting providers, connecting with patients, and helping ensure a seamless, compassionate experience every day.    As a key member of the ambulatory care team, you will:   • Coordinates scheduling of surgical procedures between physicians and their offices, available OR specialty time, anesthesia, and other departments as necessary (i.e., X-ray, MRI, CT, etc.). Coordinates and communicates changes to existing schedule with appropriate departments/staff and makes adjustments to ensure maximum utilization of rooms and equipment. • Schedules next day and beyond surgical procedures. Maintains and updates surgery assignments. Prints and distributes future OR schedules to all appropriate areas. Notifies providers with schedule changes and additions. • Obtains necessary lab work, x-rays, H&P (History & Physical) as applicable. • Processes patient charges and calculates based on procedure type, length of procedure, and supplies used. Reviews revenue to ensure charges are entered for every patient. Runs reports and verifies correct entry of codes and updates charges if errors are made. • Answers, screens, triages, prioritizes, and determines urgency of incoming calls. Acts as a resource to providers, staff, patients and families. • Operates and troubleshoots office equipment, arranges for maintenance repairs as necessary. May maintain inventory of office supplies, and complete and submit supply orders to replenish stock. About This Location:   Park Ridge Your feedback matters.  Every teammate’s voice is vital in shaping our culture and improving care. We value your insights and experiences because they help us grow stronger together.  Physical Requirements and Working Conditions   • Must be able to sit approximately 90% of the workday. • Must be able to lift up to 10 lbs. occasionally. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. • Exposed to a fast-paced, high noise-level office environment. Ready to Take the Next Step:   Apply Now!  Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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