Joplin Hospital Plans Tornado Recovery

A Catholic hospital in Joplin, Mo., which was directly hit by the category-F4 tornado that struck the city on May 22, has made plans to get back to normal as soon as possible. Five patients and one visitor at St. John’s Regional Medical Center lost their lives in the twister, but 183 other patients were evacuated to other facilities in Missouri and Arkansas. The six fatalities recorded at St. John’s, a health care ministry of the Sisters of Mercy, were included in the total of 117 confirmed dead by midday May 24. “Our first priority is to the community of Joplin and to ensure that our patients, families and co-workers are safe and receiving the best care possible,” the hospital said in a statement. “We are evaluating interim approaches to providing health care services, and we will be planning for the future as soon as we address more immediate needs.”