Medical Services of Chattanooga: Management Team

Management Team

Dallas S. Bunton, Sr. - Chairman & CEO

Collection Specialist credited by the American Collectors Association and American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM). Dallas has been in the collection industry since 1973. He joined NACS in 1982 and through his leadership further developed and expanded Medical Services of Chattanooga. Dallas has developed several programs for hospitals nationwide that include Early-out/Self-pay issues and insurance follow-up for settlement of outstanding balances. Dallas is also a Certified Instructor for the American Collectors Association and holds the Fellows Degree in Collection Business, and has received the International Federation of Certified Collectors award. While developing the Revenue Cycle within the collection industry he branched out into the Medical Billing Service sector. Providing billing services for a number of professional services (pro fee) billing. Certified coders were added, compliance audits and HIPAA Compliance all became a standard of over all Medical Billing Revenue Cycle for the clients of both Extended Business Office and Pro Fee Billing.

Beverly J. Bunton - Senior Vice President

Beverly is the great-granddaughter of Hunting Horse, the great leader and scout of the Kiowa Indian Tribe in Oklahoma. She was raised by her grandparents, Cecil and Jeannie Horse. She joined NACS in 1982 and has worked in the collection industry since 1977, and she is the Senior Vice President of NACS. Over the past 25 plus years, Beverly has helped develop a number of administrative processes that enhance the productivity and management of administrative issues. These have carried over from what started in the collection arena and now assist with some of the same responsibilities of the billing cycle. Beverly is a Corporate Officer of the NACS Corporate Campus of Services and is responsible for the administrative team that supports and provides employee services, all client placements, contracts, and programming.

Darin Bunton – Corporate Officer and Vice President of Operations

Darin joined NACS in 1999 and is one of three NACS Corporate Officers and holds the ACA Scholar degree in Business Management. Darin is a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga (UTC) School of Business. Darin shares management responsibilities in Human Resources, Collections, and works through-out the campus in a leadership position. Darin was promoted to Vice-President of Operations in early 2011.

Mike Brewer – Corporate Operations Officer and Consumer Financing Division Director

Mike is a 1992 graduate of Southern Adventist University, from the School of Business in Collegedale, TN and holds a degree in Business Administration. Mike initially came to work at NACS in 1994 however left in 2000, where he worked as a Financial Advisor with National Financial services management field, as well as began and operated his own successful business. Mike returned to NACS in 2008 to lead out as Director of the Consumer Financing Division for Medical Service of Chattanooga and presently also serves as the Corporate Operations Officer for NACS.

Rob Hayes, Jr. – Marketing and Strategic Planning Vice President

Rob is a 1982 graduate of Columbus State College, school of Business Administration and Management, in Ohio. He has worked as a Director of Patient Business in the healthcare field for 13 years. He is presently Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Planning. He works daily with billing and follow-up issues. He is one of the profile leaders in Medical Services and leads several capacities. He was recently certified as a Healthcare Collection Specialist, credited by the American Collectors Association of Healthcare Administrative Management. Rob is a certified Healthcare Collection Specialist credited by the American Collectors Association and AAHAM.

Tracie Todd – Assistant to Senior Vice-President and Corporate Coordinator

Tracie has worked in Administration since 1992 having transitioned from part-time to full-time with the opportunity of having worked in each of the admin roles through her years of dedicated service. She has been promoted over the years in various positions for her demonstrated leadership of responsibilities. Since 2001 she has served in the role of Assistant to Senior Vice-President and Corporate Coordinator to the company’s Senior VP and CEO. Tracie is accountable for client contract processing, client file set-up and new account payment processing. She is responsible for coordination of processes between clients, executive management and clients an all campus relationships.

Dallas S. Bunton, Jr. - System Administrator

Dallas Jr., has worked in the collection industry since 1986. He is responsible for the System Operations, and he works with all clients on development of file transfers and communications. Dallas is a certified ACA Scholar in Collection Business Management, State of Tennessee Collection Service Location Manager, and holds the following IT Certifications, MCITP, MCTS, MCSA 2003 / 2000, MCP, Network+ and Linux+ certifications.

Joel Henderson – Director, Public Affairs and Legislative Liaison

Joel has worked in healthcare management for over 16 years. He is a 1994 graduate from Southern Adventist University with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Journalism. Prior to joining NACS in 2009, Joel managed a multi-million dollar, federally funded 'Healthy Community Access Program' in Central FL, which served the indigent care needs to health access and included the establishment of a volunteer physician network, rural mobile medical initiative, Pharmacy Co-Op and a community-driven 'Health Issues Task Force'. Through the years Joel has served on numerous community boards and currently serves on the Safe Kids of Greater Chattanooga Coalition, Public Relations Society of America -- Lookout Chapter Executive Board, the American Cancer Society's Board of Directors for the Chattanooga Region and an Ambassador for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tonya Parker – Medical Services AHS / CBO Practice Management Vice President

Tonya has worked in the Medical Billing industry for over 16 years. She initially came to work at NACS in 1990 where she served in numerous leadership capacities for the company and has been a part of the organizations steady growth and expansion into the Medical Services divisions at a National level. Tonya currently leads as the Vice President for Medical Services Adventist Health System / Centralized Billing Office and also directs the daily operations of the Midwest Southern Division for the AHS / CBO. She is responsible for several Practices providing leadership in A/R management, collections, denial management, and best practices implementation.

Director of Divisional Management providing practice management
The following directors provide the management to staff of all billing, review of insurance issues, all claims follow-up, billing of second A/R, payers, Government, self-pay and coordinates activity between practice locations and corporate initiatives:

Tanya Bunton –Medical Servics Billing Technologies National Division Director

After several moves, Tanya found new roots in Chattanooga and joined Medical Services in 2004. Tanya has gained a variety of experience and knowledge having worked through various divisions in leadership positions company-wide. Along with her 7 years of experience in multiple disciplines within the medical billing field, she holds a certification in medical coding. As the Director of the MSBT National Division, she works hand-in-hand with clients on a daily basis. Most recently, Tanya married Darin Bunton, the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Bunton, Sr.

Kelly Barlew –Medical Services Early Out / Extended Business Office Director

Kelly has over 10 years of experience in Administrative / Executive management for client services in healthcare. She joined Medical Services in 2001 and currently as the Director of Medical Services Early Out is responsible for the daily operations of the staff which includes all calls, follow up, call recording, call auto dialers, customer service, compliance issues and for collecting monies due hospitals across the country. Kelly is also in charge of the Revenue Cycle Reconciliation processes.

Torrance Farmer – Medical Services AHS/CBO Texas Division Director

Torrance joined Medical Services in 2007 as an account representative where he further demonstrated leadership abilities and grew to his current position as Director for the MS AHS/CBO Texas Division. Prior to Medical Services Torrance worked directly in the medical billing and healthcare environment at a national level since 1997, specifically in the areas of Payment Posting, Accounts Payable, Collections, Revenue Cycle Management and Operations. Torrance has provided leadership support in various management capacities, over the years for Medical Services ranging from Team Lead to Assistant General Manager. He has additionally served in the Texas Division since its inception with Medical Services Billing Technologies.

Mark Sagert – South Eastern Division Director

Mark joined NACS in May 2002. After completing his Military obligation he spent 2 ½ years as a Collection Manager for Commercial Credit Corporation. He followed this position with 1 year as an Insurance Adjuster with Safeco Insurance Company. He began his healthcare career in January of 1975, as PFS Director at Castle Memorial Hospital in Hawaii and moved to Florida Hospital in Orlando, (currently 8 hospitals in the central Florida area), in 1977 to serve as Assistant PFS Director. From 1978 through 1981 he served as Director of Internal Audit and Systems Development and became PFS Director in 1982 and served in that capacity until he began his work at NACS. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Southern Missionary College in 1970 (currently known as Southern Adventist University) in Collegedale, TN, his Master’s of Business Administration from Georgia State University in 1977 and in 1981 his Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL.

Debbie Hayes, RN, BSN, CPC - Contract Consultant on Staff

Debbie graduated in 1978 from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She worked full-time as a hospital RN for nearly 19 years, the largest portion of her hospital career was working as a critical care nurse. She also worked Labor & Delivery/Newborn Nursery for 3 years during that time. She joined Medical Services in 1996 and since that time has attended numerous seminars related to coding, billing, & current compliance issues for Pro-fee billing. She earned the designation of CPC (certified professional coder) through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) in 1999 and served as President during 2001 for the Chattanooga Local AAPC Chapter. She has also obtained the ACS-ED (Advanced Coding Specialist for ED) designation through the BAMC (Board of Advanced Medical Coding). Debbie serves Medical Services as Corporate RN and Coding Compliance Director.