ROi Presents at IDN Summit; More than $40,000 Raised for Mercy in Joplin

How does a place of healing that has become a place of tragedy become a place of healing once more? Attendees of the recent 2011 Fall IDN Summit in Phoenix, Arizona hope that over $40,000 in donations can help provide part of the solution to that dilemma faced by Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center of Joplin, Missouri, after it was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado on May 22, 2011.

Through a silent auction and personal contributions, IDN Summit attendees gave generously over the course of the two-and-a-half-day event Sept. 13-15, 2011 far surpassing the earlier goal to raise $25,000 for the co-workers of St. John's.

"Heroes take many forms, they come in many stripes. In times of crisis, people turn to their leaders, and they turn to the hospitals and health care professionals not only to care for their injuries but to comfort them," said John Kelly, CEO, Bluegrass Business Media. "Now, we are honoring one of those health care systems that took an unbelievable blow in May of this year."

Dr. David Hagedorn, emergency medicine physician and assistant ED director, Mercy's St. John's Regional Medical Center; Gene Kirtser, president and CEO, ROi; and JoAnne Levy, vice president, Integrated Sourcing Solutions, ROi, kept a packed audience riveted as they described conditions following the tornado which destroyed the medical center, leaving physicians, nurses and other health care workers without facilities or supplies to care for the growing throng of injured in the aftermath of what would become one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.

"Nothing can prepare you for what we were dealing with," the soft-spoken Dr. Hagedorn told IDN Summit attendees during a general session of the Summit on Sept. 14. The audience also viewed a video showing footage of the devastation to the hospital and community of Joplin with interviews of St. John's and ROi staff who were present when the tornado hit. ROi, Mercy's supply chain division, played a crucial role in helping Mercy and the St. John's Medical Center staff meet the needs of Joplin's citizens.

"We are very appreciative of IDN Summit and all of the provider and supplier attendees who generously made a contribution through the silent auction and donations," said Gene Kirtser, president and CEO of ROi. "It is really rewarding to see the health care community band together like this in time of need. We can't say thank you enough."

"IDN Summit is so pleased to be able to honor St. John's with this contribution of over $40,000," said Kelly. "The health care industry is full of heroes of all kinds, whether it be the staff of St. John's putting aside their personal tragedy to help patients during this devastating disaster or the many industry colleagues who came together during the IDN Summit and gave so generously to help aid St. John's in its quest to rebuild and focus on a bright future in the city of Joplin."

For more information on the presentation, please visit the IDN Summit website at http://idnsummit.com/event/2011Fall_General_Session_Joplin_Post_Event.