Highlights from Lessons Learned from Joplin
2011 Fall IDN Summit General Session
Wednesday, Sept. 14


 
The Lessons Learned from Joplin session opened with a compelling video showing footage of the Joplin tornado and interviews with staff from St. John's and ROi who were onsite when the tornado struck.



"An EF-5 tornado can shred bark from a tree. Think of what that could do to the skin on a person," related the soft-spoken Dr. David Hagedorn, emergency medicine physician and assistant ED director, Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center. It was that kind of shocking first-hand description of what it was like to treat patients in the minutes, hours and days following the tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., leveling Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center and leaving staff without supplies or facilities, that kept audience members riveted to their seats during the 2011 Fall IDN Summit general session, Lessons Learned from Joplin, on Sept. 14th.

 

Dr. Hagedorn was joined onstage by Gene Kirtser, president/CEO, ROi,
and JoAnne Levy, vice president, Integrated Sourcing Solutions, ROi, who described how ROi, Mercy's supply chain division, reacted to the needs of the physicians, nurses and other heroes of St. John's as the hospital staff dealt with the throngs of injured Joplin citizens without benefit of a proper building, medical equipment and instruments, medical supplies or pharmaceuticals in the aftermath of the storm.

Above, Dr. David Hagedorn, emergency medicine physician and assistant ED director, Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center, captivated the full-capacity crowd through use of images and stories of what it was like to be on call the day of the Joplin tornado and in the months since the disaster. Left, Dr. Hagedorn tells attendees of the shocking situation found in Joplin. 

Although many of the St. John's staff suffered their own losses—more than 100 workers lost their home—they pushed these worries aside to tend to those in need. Ms. Levy explained how ROi worked quickly to send supplies to Joplin immediately and then worked closely with staff at St. John's to continually map out plans to continue meeting the needs of St. John's and the community of Joplin. Mercy assured all Joplin-based workers they would stay on the payroll despite the disaster, then set up a field hospital with emergency room within a week of the tornado striking, which has been replaced by improved modular structures that will be utilized until the permanent structure is complete. Mercy expects to break ground in January on the permanent facility.

 
JoAnne Levy described how ROi put a plan into motion to bring much-needed supplies to St. John's.

JoAnne Levy described how ROi sprang into action, shipping items such as thousands of tetanus immunizations and other basic supplies known to be necessary, immediately after the tornado. ROi's ability to react quickly and efficiently was key to St. John's ability to meet the needs of its community even under such devastating conditions. She also talked about the emotional toll the tornado took on co-workers in Joplin and how ROi was able to serve as a stabilizing force during the weeks that followed the devastation.   


IDN Summit Raises More than $40,000

IDN Summit honored Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center of Joplin, MO, with the Relief! Silent Auction during the 2011 Fall IDN Summit to benefit the Mercy Co-Worker Tornado Relief Fund established to help those who faced hardship and loss due to this tragedy.  

 
Chuck Lauer, industry leader and former publisher of Modern Healthcare, far right, joined Dr. David Hagedorn and JoAnne Levy on stage, calling those involved with St. John's "heroes" of the healthcare industry. Mr. Lauer also actively asked for donations during the Relief! Silent Auction.

The Relief! Silent Auction kicked off on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 13th, when registration opened and ran until the winners were announced on Wednesday evening at the Relief! Reception to Honor Joplin event. In addition to the Silent Auction, attendees to the 2011 Fall IDN Summit gave generously through personal donations through the close of the Summit. Donations and Silent Auction funds contributed to a total of over $40,000 raised, far exceeding the IDN Summit's goal of raising $25,000 to assist the workers of St. John's. 

On Oct. 6, John Kelly, CEO, Bluegrass Business Media, traveled to St. John's in Joplin to present a check for more than $40,000 representing the contributions from IDN Summit attendees to benefit the Mercy Foundation for Health Innovation Joplin Relief Fund, a fund designated to help Mercy co-workers in Joplin. Also present for the check presentation were Sallie Hazelrigg, vice president, Mercy Foundation, and Gene Kirtser, president/CEO, ROi.

Download St. John's news release on the check presentation.

 
On Oct. 6, John Kelly, CEO, Bluegrass Business Media, presented St. John's with a check for more than $40,000, representing donations made through a silent auction and personal contributions from 2011 Fall IDN Summit attendees.

























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