Orthopedic Surgery Coordinator Specialist

Midland Health•Midland, TX

22h

About The Position

The Orthopedic Surgery Coordination Specialist is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the surgical workflow for multiple orthopedic surgeons, including Sports Medicine and Trauma. This position leverages a strong foundation in musculoskeletal anatomy, injury mechanisms, and clinical communication to support patients through the pre-operative process and ensure surgeons’ schedules remain optimized. This role is not an athletic training position, but an AT background is highly valuable due to the clinical understanding, patient education skills, and familiarity with orthopedic terminology required for success.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training, Exercise Science, or related field required.
Strong understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy and orthopedic terminology.
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage high-volume, fast-paced workload.
Strong attention to detail — ability to catch errors before they impact patient care.
Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to explain clinical processes to patients.
Comfort navigating EMRs (Athena strongly preferred; Cerner a plus).
Ability to follow established workflows while proactively identifying missing steps.
Strong critical thinking skills, especially in reviewing labs, clearances, and order sets.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in orthopedic or surgical setting preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate and schedule surgical cases in Athena accurately and in a timely manner.
Ensure all orders, consent forms, and documentation are completed and entered correctly.
Maintain full and efficient surgical days for multiple surgeons (Sports Medicine, Trauma, and General Ortho).
Create, update, and close patient cases for all surgical workflow steps (scheduling, cancellations, communication, follow-up).
Maintain working knowledge of insurance plan eligibility and facility-specific coverage, and coordinate with the Workers’ Compensation coordinator as needed
Schedule and track all pre-operative appointments including PAT, labs, imaging, PCP clearances, and specialist clearances.
Monitor and review incoming medical clearances daily; communicate results back to surgeons promptly.
Review labs for key surgical thresholds (e.g., MRSA, A1C, infection risk flags) and initiate required next steps (mupirocin orders, follow-ups, rescheduling, etc.).
Identify and address missed PAT, pre-op, or clearance items and proactively resolve them.
Ensure patients receive proper education about pre-op instructions, timelines, and expectations.
Coordinating post-operative appointments according to surgery type and provider preferences
Accurately place orders for PT, home health, imaging, labs, and post-op services.
Verify correct PT pathways and orders based on surgeon preference.
Serve as a liaison between patients, surgeons, PCP offices, PT services, and hospital departments.
Understand orthopedic terminology, common procedures, and injury mechanisms to support patient and provider communication.
Enter and manage all pre-op, surgery, and clearance information in Athena and Cerner.
Navigate Cerner to place orders, manage patient lists, and locate operative reports.
Maintain accurate patient documentation to support smooth communication between clinic and OR staff.
Answer patient calls, address questions, and provide clear instructions regarding the surgical process.
Ensure all patient communication is documented correctly in Athena and linked to appropriate cases.
Follow up with patients who miss appointments or require rescheduling.
Work closely with MAs, clinic providers, surgery center staff, and practice managers to ensure seamless workflow.
Support clinical teams by identifying gaps in pre-op processes and assisting in problem-solving.
Review daily clinic and surgery schedules to identify errors, missing clearances, or workflow risks.