Rudy’s Journey: Leading the Way in Patient Scheduling
Rudy Baltodano is dedicated to caring for others, both personally and professionally. As the Practice Manager for radiology scheduling — his team handles 900-1,000 patient calls daily — Rudy’s leadership shapes how thousands of patients access vital healthcare services at UCSF.
“Scheduling is the gateway to radiology and the front door to healthcare," Baltodano says, underscoring his team’s critical role. “Whether they’re here for the first time or an established patient, many patients will to speak to a scheduler first.”
A Career Sparked by Family
“My journey here started 21 years ago, transporting patients in radiology,” Baltodano shares. “Depending on the patient, I'd bring a wheelchair or a gurney to their room, pick them up and transport them to radiology for their imaging exams, then bring them back.” Driven by a profound sense of love and responsibility, he embarked on his career at UCSF shortly after his daughter was born.
Long before joining UCSF, caregiving was central to Baltodano’s life. His older brother has cerebral palsy, and he recalls, “Once I was big enough to push the wheelchair, I was helping my brother out. My job transporting patients felt like a natural fit.”
This experience, coupled with his commitment to family, helped define his career path. From patient transport he transitioned through various roles including assisting CT and MRI technologists and supervising the front desk at Parnassus Heights for a couple of years. An opening in the scheduling unit offered a new career and another level of professional success. He worked in scheduling for more than 10 years and became the first dedicated manager of the central scheduling team in January 2022. Without a blueprint, he built his team of 37 from the ground up.
Enhancing the Patient Experience
Baltodano is most proud of facilitating the scheduling team’s success. In one foundational project, he meticulously documented policies and procedures and created a comprehensive manual that contains everything from protocols and exam details to equipment weight limits and procedure timing.
Another significant achievement is a dramatic reduction in call wait-times. What had been a 10 to 15-minute wait in some cases now averages just 30 seconds, leading to better and more timely patient access to appointments.
Building on the comprehensive procedure manual, Baltodano is working on the Image Scheduling Optimization (ISO) Project led by Hailey Choi, MD, Medical Director for Apex Imaging Informatics. Baltodano’s expertise is instrumental in ensuring that complex exams or procedures are scheduled on the right machine for the right length of time, that nurses or child life specialists are available when needed, that patients with implants are properly screened, and much more. His goal is simple: "get it right the first time for a smooth patient experience.”
A Champion for His Team
Baltodano is a strong advocate for his team, fostering open communication that empowers employees to proactively problem-solve.
“It's about improvement,” he says. “Every one of the supervisors here has a modality they champion. What can we improve and how can we keep moving forward?”
He actively engages with departments like the Cancer Center, even training their team on scheduling processes, reflecting his deep commitment to collaboration and finding solutions together.
A Lifelong SF Giants Fan!
Beyond the hospital, Baltodano is a lifelong Giants fan. During baseball season he trades in his work polo for bright orange-and-black Giants gear, leaves his China Basin office and crosses the street passing Willie Mays’ statue as he heads into the ballpark for the Giants games. He’s a season ticket holder and often enjoys the game with his daughter, who turned 24 this year.
Baltodano’s life truly reflects his dedication to caring for those he loves most, both at home and through his essential work ensuring vital access to care for patients at UCSF Health.