Surgery scheduling workflow software

Surgery scheduling workflow includes preoperative, intra-operative and post operative workflow tasks.

Using a surgical scheduling software to automate a majority of the surgical scheduling process improves your chances of reducing cancellations / delays.

Preoperative surgery scheduling workflow

Below are overall tasks that cover the pre operative surgery scheduling workflow.

1. Surgical procedure order(s)
2. Laboratory procedure order(s)
3. Diagnostic/Imaging procedure order(s)
4. Medication order(s)
5. Diet/Nutrition order(s)
6. Referral order for medical clearance from primary care
7. Referral order for medical clearance from specialist
8. Referral order for COVID clearance (currently)

Surgical procedure orders

Placing surgical procedure order is, of course, at the heart of surgical scheduling workflow. However, there are several tasks associated with placing surgical orders.

Below are the top ones to keep in mind. Your office may or may not do all of these.

1. Send fax for surgical procedure order pre-certification
2. Update surgical procedure order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for surgical procedure order prior authorization
5. Update surgical procedure order with prior authorization proof
6. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status

Here’s how we handle it in Surgerical – our surgery scheduling software.

Surgical scheduling workflow for laboratory orders

As you add more procedure orders, you will need to manage, track these laboratory orders

Examples – CBC, H/H, PTT, PT, Type and screen, CMP, BMP, Sed rate, Potassium, UA, Urine with Reflex, Urine culture and sensitivity, Urine pregnancy

The more information you enter in your surgery scheduling software, the less has to be handwritten in surgery forms.

Make sure your software automates most of the following tasks related to placing laboratory orders. Below is how our surgical scheduling software handles the workflow. Your office may or may not do all of these.

1. Send fax for laboratory procedure order pre-certification
2. Update laboratory procedure order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for laboratory procedure order prior authorization
5. Update laboratory procedure order with prior authorization proof
6. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status
7. Send fax for laboratory procedure request
8. Update laboratory procedure request order with appointment date
9. Notify patient about laboratory procedure appointment date
10. Send patient reminders about laboratory procedure appointment
11. Send patient laboratory procedure appointment prerequisites 
12. Send patient reminders about laboratory procedure appointment prerequisites 
13. Send fax for laboratory procedure results
14. Update laboratory procedure request order with laboratory results

Imaging orders in a surgical scheduling workflow

Make sure your software automates most of the following tasks related to placing imaging / diagnostics orders.

Some examples of orders you’d need to place – EKG, X-RAY, MRI etc.

Below is how our surgical scheduling software handles the workflow. Your office may or may not do all of these.

1. Send fax for imaging procedure order pre-certification
2. Update imaging procedure order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for imaging procedure order prior authorization
5. Update imaging procedure order with prior authorization proof
6. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status
7. Send fax for imaging procedure request
8. Update imaging procedure request order with appointment date
9. Notify patient about imaging procedure appointment date
10. Send patient reminders about imaging procedure appointment
11. Send patient imaging procedure appointment prerequisites 
12. Send patient reminders about imaging procedure appointment prerequisites 
13. Send fax for imaging procedure results
14. Update imaging procedure request order with laboratory results

Medication orders in a surgery scheduling workflow

Order any medications that are important for your patients prior to the procedure. Patients need to get the pre-procedure and post operative medication orders sent to their pharmacies.

We recommend that you send the post operative medication order faxes before the procedure.

Example Medication orders – Cefazolin 2 g IV pre-op,  Cefazolin (OK to give with history of Penicillin allergy), Cefazolin 3 g IV pre-op, Metronidazole IV Pre-op, Ampicillin mg IV pre-op, Gentamicin mg IV pre-op, Cefepime (Maxipime) IV preop, Levofloxacin (Levaquin) IV preop, Vancomycin IV pre-op, Vancomycin.

Here’s how our surgery software handles medication orders in the the typical surgical scheduling workflow. You might also want to consider using a medication reminder system for your patients to ensure medication adherence.

1. Send fax for preoperative medication order pre-certification
2. Update preoperative medication order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for preoperative medication order prior authorization
5. Update preoperative medication order with prior authorization proof
6. Send fax for medication order
7. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status and RX order
8. Ask patient about RX fill status 
9. Update medication order with RX fill status
10. Send patient reminders about pre op medications adherence

Surgical scheduling workflow – Medical clearance order

You will have to refer patients out for COVID, Medical clearance and specialist appointments. Make sure that any surgery scheduling software you use, reminds you and your patient.

With our surgical scheduling workflow software you will also get reminders to collect the visit notes / results from the patient or the provider you have referred them to.

Example Referrals / Clearances: Medical, Cardiology, Pulmonary, Hematology.

• Medical Clearance reason – primary dx would be Z01.818, secondary dx the reason for surgery
• COVID clearance – R05, R06.02, R50.9, J12.89, J20.8, J22, J40, J80, J96.01, J98.8

Here are tasks associated with the medical referral workflow. Your office may decide on less / more steps.

1. Send fax for Medical clearance referral order
2. Update medical clearance request order with appointment date
3. Notify patient about medical clearance appointment date
4. Send patient reminders about medical clearance appointment
5. Send patient medical clearance appointment prerequisites 
6. Send patient reminders about medical clearance appointment prerequisites 
7. Send fax for medical clearance results
8. Update medical clearance request order with laboratory results

Specialist clearance referral orders

In addition to medical clearances (history and physical) from primary care, you might have to refer the patient to specialists for clearances as well.

This, of course, depends on patient’s medical history and their co-morbidities. Example Referrals / Clearances: Cardiology, Pulmonary, Hematology.

Below are related tasks for specialist clearance workflows.

1. Send fax for specialist clearance order pre-certification
2. Update specialist clearance order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for specialist clearance order prior authorization
5. Update specialist clearance order with prior authorization proof
6. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status
7. Send fax for specialist clearance referral order
8. Update specialist clearance request order with appointment date
9. Notify patient about specialist clearance appointment date
10. Send patient reminders about specialist clearance appointment
11. Send patient specialist clearance appointment prerequisites 
12. Send patient reminders about specialist clearance appointment prerequisites 
13. Send fax for specialist clearance results
14. Update specialist clearance request order with laboratory results

Place COVID clearance referral order

Here are tasks associated with the COVID referral workflow. Your office may decide on less / more steps.

1. Update COVID clearance request order with appointment date
2. Notify patient about COVID clearance appointment date
3. Send patient reminders about COVID clearance appointment
4. Send fax for COVID clearance results
5. Update COVID clearance request order with COVID lab results
6. Update surgery center with COVID clearance report

Place Device orders

Order any devices that are required for your patient’s procedure. This might also depend on your surgeon’s preference card(s).

You should also request device reps to be present for the procedure – if the surgeon has requested that. The device / implant request orders will ultimately be sent to your surgery partners.

Here are tasks associated with the device order workflow. Your office may decide on less / more steps.

1. Send fax for surgery device order pre-certification
2. Update surgery device order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for surgery device order prior authorization
5. Update surgery device order with prior authorization proof

Surgery scheduling workflow – Transportation orders

Depending on the patient’s mobility restrictions and their insurance plan, you might have to arrange for transportation on behalf of your patient.

Transportation is arranged by a 3rd party entirely, so it is imperative to ensure that they are brought into the surgical scheduling workflow as well.

1. Send fax for transportation order pre-certification
2. Update transportation order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about transportation approval status
4. Send fax for transportation order prior authorization
5. Update transportation order with prior authorization proof
6. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status
7. Send fax for transportation order
8. Update transportation request order with appointment date
9. Notify patient about transportation appointment date
10. Send patient reminders about transportation appointment

In our surgery scheduling software, you manage transportation orders like this (see below)

Place surgery appointment request order

1. Send fax for surgery appointment request order 
2. Update surgery appointment request order with appointment date
3. Notify patient about surgery appointment date
4. Send patient reminders about surgery appointment
5. Place surgery preoperative appointment request order
6. Update surgery preoperative appointment request order with appointment date
7. Notify patient about surgery preoperative appointment date
8. Send patient reminders about surgery preoperative appointment

Place preoperative Nutrition Orders

In most cases, you will have a fasting order. Examples include NPO , NPO after midnight, NPO after midnight except medications. Sometimes you will also have more elaborate nutrition order(s).

Patient’s adherence to preoperative and post operative nutrition orders are important in the success of a surgery procedure.

In our surgery software, we automatically follow these tasks. Your office might have less/more tasks involved.

1. Notify patient about preoperative nutrition instructions 
2. Remind patient about preoperative nutrition instructions adherence 

Post operative surgery scheduling workflow

After the surgery procedure is completed, your job is to continue the surgical scheduling process by getting everything ready for the billing department. Your surgeon has to provide you the OR post op note. Alternatively, the OR or ambulatory surgery center can provide you the same as well.

Update post-operative results

1. Update actual surgery procedures performed 
2. Update anesthesia medications administered 
3. Update implants / devices administered 
4. Update tissues replaced
5. Update estimated blood loss
6. Update specimens collected
7. Update findings
8. Update post-operative diagnoses
9. Update operative complications 

Place follow up post operative appointments orders

1. Place surgery post-operative appointment request order
2. Update surgery post-operative appointment request order with appointment date
3. Notify patient about surgery post-operative appointment date
4. Send patient reminders about surgery post-operative appointment

Place post-operative Nutrition Orders

1. Notify patient about post-operative nutrition instructions 
2. Remind patient about post-operative nutrition instructions adherence 

Place post-operative Medication orders

1. Send fax for post-operative medication order pre-certification
2. Update post-operative medication order with pre-certification proof
3. Notify patient about pre-certification approval status
4. Send fax for post-operative medication order prior authorization
5. Update post-operative medication order with prior authorization proof
6. Send fax for medication order
7. Notify patient about prior authorization approval status and RX order
8. Ask patient about RX fill status 
9. Update medication order with RX fill status
10. Send patient reminders about post-operative medications adherence

Place transition of care referral request order

1. Update transition of care appointment request order with appointment date
2. Notify patient about transition of care referral appointment date
3. Send patient reminders about transition of care referral appointment
4. Send fax for transition of care consult note
5. Update transition of care request order with visit note results