Life Changing Is … Having Empathy, Accuracy, and Efficiency

Amanda W. – Central Scheduling Rep

“My patients can’t see a smile over the phone, but they can hear a smile for sure.”

Amanda has worked for UPMC Central Scheduling in Harrisburg since April 2021, and she believes she’s found her true passion. Her scheduling team talks to both patients and provider offices to schedule many scans and tests for radiology. That entails about 50 to 80 per day on her individual line.

“It makes your day go so quickly, and honestly for me, I love the constant nature of it,” Amanda says. “You never know what that next call is going be. What’s the next challenge? What can I help with next? It keeps you on your toes.”

Amanda is also a trainer for the department, so she occasionally visits the office to do “side-by-sides” with new hires.

“I really like the way our department handles training,” Amanda says. “We set people up for success and handle everyone as an individual. And our leadership is fantastic. I can’t say enough about how accessible they make themselves to us for questions and guidance. They are just great at what they do.”

Before starting at UPMC, Amanda worked as a surgical coordinator and referral specialist for a local ear, nose, and throat and facial plastic surgery office. Her daily tasks often involved calling the very people who are now her co-workers.

“I absolutely love what I do,” she says. “When I started looking for something new, UPMC’s Central Scheduling Department was always in the forefront of my mind because everyone I've ever dealt with has been so very nice and pleasant on the phone, and it made me want to work for them. When I saw a position was open, I took a chance on it, and it's been the best decision I've ever made.”

Having been on both sides of the phone, Amanda especially knows what people want out of a scheduling call. They want to talk to someone who cares, to not take up too much time, and to achieve their goal.

“I go in every day thinking, ‘You know, there's a reason why I'm either calling the patient to schedule or they're calling us, and it's not because they're feeling well,’ Amanda says. “I always try to think of empathy, accuracy, and efficiency. They don't want to be on the phone forever but need it to be done right. So, I try to keep it as short as possible, all the while being as friendly as possible.”

Amanda is confident that she and others who share her role are truly the start of Life Changing Medicine.

“We have to be the start of them feeling better,” she says. “We are the beginning of possibly having someone’s life saved. I hope that my co-workers feel the same – that we're not just here to do a job. This is our career, and our career is to be in health care and to help patients get better as quickly as possible. It starts with us.”

At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means helping with an empathetic heart.

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