Care system Private Affiliated university None Phone +1 417-625-2888 | Hospital type Community Beds 100+ Founded 1896 | |
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Location Joplin, Missouri, United States Emergency department Level II for Trauma certification Address 2817 McClelland Blvd, Joplin, MO 64804, USA Similar Southeast Missouri Hospital, Mineral Area Regional, Via Christi Hospital (Pittsburg), CoxHealth, St Joseph Medical Center | ||
St. John's Regional Medical Center was a hospital in Joplin, Missouri, USA. Following damage in the 2011 Joplin tornado, it was demolished in 2012.
History
The hospital was founded on October 24, 1896, by the Appoline A. Blair. The facility was expanded in 1968 to include two connecting buildings of seven and nine floors.
On May 22, 2011, the hospital was seriously damaged by a tornado from the May 2011 tornado outbreak. At least four people were killed inside the hospital and its grounds, and surviving patients were evacuated from the health facility, which sustained major structural damage. One of the hospital's towers took a direct hit by the storm and was rotated four inches on its foundation.
Mere hours after one of the deadliest recorded tornadoes in U.S. history hit Joplin, the Missouri Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) started working to create a plan to help the survivors. The following Wednesday, DMAT deployed their 8,000 square foot field hospital to temporarily replace the destroyed hospital. Six days after the tornado, on May 29, 2011 St. John's medical staff gave medical treatment to their community in the BLU-MED field hospital.
The existing hospital was structurally unsafe and was eventually demolished. Temporary buildings were constructed nearby for work to continue supporting the community. One week after the tornado, St. John's (now known as Mercy) announced they would rebuild. Mercy is in the process of building a new hospital in Joplin at Interstate 44 and Hearnes Boulevard; it is scheduled to open in 2015, replacing the facility destroyed by the tornado. There will also be an auxiliary facility on the northeast side.