Winners announced for Missouri’s first Vibeathon
On November 8-9, the Joplin Regional Alliance for Health (JRAH) and codefi hosted Missouri’s first Vibeathon (AI coding hackathon) event in Joplin, Missouri.
The event was designed for participants to build AI-powered software solutions for three healthcare challenges, using new and emerging AI coding methods and tools. Forty-seven (47) participants from Missouri and surrounding states were onsite at Missouri Southern State University to take up the challenge.
Best of Show & 1st Prize Winner was Tenise Wertman of Verona, MO – Frictionless Scheduling. Wertmen is a self-taught AI novice.
“Vibers” worked with codefi’s vibe coding experts and local healthcare professionals over the weekend to design and submit 31 solutions for judging. Winners who created solutions that best met the requirements of the healthcare problems presented were provided cash prizes, which were announced on Sunday afternoon.
She created an AI-powered scheduling tool that matches patient and provider availability, reduces no-shows and improves staff efficiency.
The event is a key component of codefi’s proprietary startup studio, delivered through a multi-year partnership between JRAH and codefi to systematically identify critical healthcare delivery problems and market opportunities that lead to the creation of new AI-powered product and service companies in the region.
Solutions created will be evaluated in further market validation with the goal to jump-start the creation
and growth of one or more new companies.
A complete list of winners included:
Best of Show & 1st Prize Winner:
Tenise Wertman – Frictionless Scheduling
• Solo competitor, mother of 9 from Verona, MO
• Self-taught AI novice
• Created an AI-powered scheduling tool that matches patient and provider availability, reduces no-shows and improves staff efficiency.
Problem 2: Financial Navigation
Challenge: Patients struggle to understand healthcare costs and insurance complexities.
Local Impact: Financial uncertainty leads to delayed or avoided care in Joplin.
1st Price Winner: Jordan Corbett, Springfield, MO – Financial Navigation
• Solo competitor from Springfield, MO
• Developed an AI platform to help patients understand costs and assist providers in reducing billing questions.
Problem 3: Referral & Care Navigation
Challenge: Patients get lost between providers, face delays and experience fragmented care.
Local Impact: Rural Joplin patients struggle with coordinated care across multiple providers.
1st Prize Winner: Team Campfire & Burrow Labs – Referral & Care Navigation
• Two-person team from Springfield, MO
• Built an AI-powered referral system for rapid provider matching, one-click scheduling and care journey updates.
Second & Third Prize Winners
Problem 1: Frictionless Scheduling
2nd Prize Winner: Team Name: Camden & Adam
• Two-person team from Cape Girardeau, MO and Springfield, MO
3rd Prize Winner: Team Name: MedAI
• Multi-person team with members from Joplin, MO; Rogers & Gravette, AR; and Jenks, OK
Problem 2: Financial Navigation
2nd Prize Winner: Team MediCompare
• Multi-person team with members from Cape Girardeau, MO
3rd Prize Winner: Team Name: Open SGF 2
• Trio team from Springfield, MO
Problem 3: Referral & Care Navigation
2nd Prize Winner: Team GO REDHAWKS!!!
• Multi-person team with members from Cape Girardeau and Kirkwood, MO
3rd Prize Winner: Team Name: Semo1
• Multi-person team with members from Cape Girardeau, MO
About JRAH:
The Joplin Regional Alliance for Health (JRAH) works with community entrepreneurs, businesses, healthcare stakeholders and educationalinstitutions to develop and execute strategic plans and programming to fortify long-term growth of the Joplin region’s healthcare and health science sectors. This includes recruiting and educating new entrants into healthcare careers as well as retention of experienced healthcare workers within the region, and new products and services development to maximize economic development opportunities for the greater
Joplin region across the four states it serves.
JRAH strives to support and advance excellence in health-related initiatives by connecting healthcare providers and educational institutions so they can align their objectives and collaborate to build a talent pipeline as well as sustain and expand healthcare economic development within the greater Joplin region. JRAH was founded in 2024 by a coalition of key regional leaders including the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, The Farber Foundation, Mercy Health, Freeman Health System, Crowder College, Kansas City University – Joplin, Missouri
Southern State University and the City of Joplin.
JRAH is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.