CARTHAGE, Mo. —
A large wooden cross bearing some scars from the Joplin tornado has found a home at Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital in Carthage.
The cross, which had hung on the second floor of St. John’s Regional Medical Center, was presented as a gift to the hospital during a blessing Tuesday marking the Carthage hospital’s addition to Sisters of Mercy Health System.
“It’s got a little damage,” said Gary Pulsipher, president of St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Joplin, who handed over the cross to Bob Copleland, chief executive of Mercy McCune-Brooks.
About 120 Carthage residents and community leaders met with hospital officials after the ceremony to hear plans by Mercy and to outline their goals for health care in the community.
Lynn Britton, Mercy chief executive, said McCune-Brooks became the 31st hospital in the Mercy organization when a 50-year lease of the city-owned hospital went into effect on Jan. 1.
Britton said similar community round-table meetings conducted in cities served by Mercy had been used to develop an eight-year master plan that was completed just before the May 22 tornado that demolished St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.
“We’re planning a $4.6 billion investment over the next seven years, and it will be more now,” he said.
Those who gathered for the session were asked to envision what health and health care should be like in the community in the next five years. Several residents said they want access to specialized care while still receiving the kind of personal attention they get from a community hospital. Others said barriers to improved health care could be financial. Some cited a language barrier, noting the large Hispanic population in Carthage.
Britton said Mercy has instituted a tele-medicine program that puts local hospitals in touch with specialists in the Mercy system who can help with diagnostic care and allow the patient to stay in the community.
“Through technology, we’ll be able to bring the specialists to the community,” Britton said. “We’re talking about health services that are local, regional and virtual.”
He said work will start this year on instituting an electronic medical records program at the Carthage hospital that will allow medical records and test results to “follow” the patient, with Internet access that makes information available online to consulting physicians and to the patient.
Britton also expressed Mercy’s appreciation to McCune-Brooks officials, who immediately offered help after St. John’s was destroyed by the May 22 tornado. That grew into a relationship that allowed McCune-Brooks to expand beds and services with financial help from Mercy, and allowed 130 workers from St. John’s to be employed at McCune-Brooks in a talent-sharing arrangement.
Under the lease, Mercy will make payments of about $3 million per year that will pay off the remaining debt of McCune-Brooks construction costs, plus an additional $250,000 in annual payments. Mercy also will spend $20 million to $30 million to install the electronic medical records system and to construct a medical office building.
Blessing
THE HOSPITAL LOBBY was filled with residents for the blessing ceremony conducted by the Rev. Bill Hodgson of St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Other pastors from the Carthage Ministerial Alliance participated, and music was provided by the St. Ann’s Children’s Choir.
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