Cycle 1
Health 2025-07-17 · Fire 2025-07-17
1 health deficiencies
Top issue: Administration (1 deficiency)
2 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Gas and Vacuum and Electrical Systems (1 deficiency)
Emmetsburg, IA
Palo Alto County Hospital
5-star overall rating with 4-star inspections with 1 recent health deficiencies with 2 fire-safety deficiencies in the latest cycle
3201 First Street, Emmetsburg, IA
(712) 852-5520
Overall
5 / 5
CMS overall stars
Health inspections
4 / 5
Survey and complaint cycles
Staffing
5 / 5
RN + nurse staffing
Quality measures
3 / 5
Resident outcomes and process measures
Quick facts
Facility snapshot
Beds
22
Certified beds
Average residents
22
Average occupied residents
Ownership
Government
Publicly displayed owner type
Chain
No chain reported
Operator or chain grouping
Approved since
1986-02-05
CMS approved date
Coverage
Medicaid
Participation flags
Changed ownership
No
Within the last 12 months
Family council
Yes
Resident and family council reported
Sprinklers
Yes
Automatic sprinklers in all required areas
Hospital-based
Yes
CMS reports the provider resides in a hospital
Staffing
Hours and turnover
RN hours / resident day
1.53
Registered nurse staffing · state 0.73 · national 0.68
LPN hours / resident day
0.15
Licensed practical nurse staffing · state 0.57 · national 0.87
Aide hours / resident day
1.81
Nurse aide staffing · state 2.53 · national 2.35
Total nurse hours
3.48
All reported nurse hours · state 3.83 · national 3.89
Licensed hours
1.68
RN + LPN hours · state 1.30 · national 1.54
Weekend hours
2.53
Weekend nurse staffing · state 3.35 · national 3.43
Weekend RN hours
1.00
Weekend registered nurse coverage · state 0.50 · national 0.47
Physical therapist
0.00
Reported PT staffing
Adjusted RN hours
1.96
CMS adjusted RN staffing hours
Adjusted total hours
4.48
CMS adjusted total nurse staffing hours
Case-mix index
1.06
Higher values indicate more complex resident acuity
RN turnover
17%
Annual RN turnover · state 44% · national 45%
Total nurse turnover
22%
Annual nurse turnover · state 44% · national 46%
SNF QRP
Medicare quality reporting measures
| Measure | Facility | National | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potentially preventable 30-day readmission | Not Available |
10.72%
|
Not Available · Eligible stays Not Available · Observed rate Not Available · Lower 95% interval Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Discharge to community | Not Available |
50.57%
|
Not Available · Eligible stays Not Available · Observed rate Not Available · Lower 95% interval Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Medicare spending per beneficiary | Not Available |
1.02
|
This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Drug regimen review with follow-up | Not Available |
95.27%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Falls with major injury | Not Available |
0.77%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Discharge self-care score | Not Available |
53.69%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Discharge mobility score | Not Available |
50.94%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Pressure ulcers or injuries, new or worsened | Not Available |
2.29%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · Adjusted rate Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Healthcare-associated infections requiring hospitalization | Not Available |
7.12%
|
Not Available · Eligible stays Not Available · Observed rate Not Available · Lower 95% interval Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Staff COVID-19 vaccination coverage | Not Available |
8.2%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Staff flu vaccination coverage | Not Available |
42%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Discharge function score | Not Available |
56.45%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Transfer of health information to provider | Not Available |
95.95%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Transfer of health information to patient | Not Available |
96.28%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
| Resident COVID-19 vaccinations up to date | Not Available |
25.2%
|
Numerator Not Available · Denominator Not Available · This provider is not required to submit SNF QRP data. |
Quality measures
Resident outcomes and process scores
| Measure | Facility | State | National | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days | 2.5 |
1.5
1 pts worse
|
1.9
0.6 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 20240701-20250630 · Adjusted 2.5 · Observed 1.3 · Expected 1.0 · Used in QM five-star |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days | 4.3 |
2.1
2.2 pts worse
|
1.8
2.5 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 20240701-20250630 · Adjusted 4.3 · Observed 2.7 · Expected 1.0 · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | 100.0% |
94.0%
6 pts better
|
93.4%
6.6 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 100.0% · Q2 100.0% · Q3 100.0% · Q4 100.0% · 4Q avg 100.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | 95.7% |
95.2%
0.5 pts better
|
95.5%
0.2 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q3-2025Q2 · 4Q avg 95.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | 8.2% |
3.7%
4.5 pts worse
|
3.3%
4.9 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 9.5% · Q2 9.1% · Q3 9.5% · Q4 4.8% · 4Q avg 8.2% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms | 0.0% |
4.0%
4 pts better
|
11.4%
11.4 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 0.0% · Q2 0.0% · Q3 0.0% · Q4 0.0% · 4Q avg 0.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight | 4.2% |
4.9%
0.7 pts better
|
5.4%
1.2 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · 4Q avg 4.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication | 16.7% |
20.6%
3.9 pts better
|
19.6%
2.9 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · 4Q avg 16.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | 5.9% |
19.8%
13.9 pts better
|
16.7%
10.8 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · 4Q avg 5.9% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained | 0.0% |
0.2%
0.2 pts better
|
0.1%
0.1 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 0.0% · Q2 0.0% · Q3 0.0% · Q4 0.0% · 4Q avg 0.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | 20.9% |
18.5%
2.4 pts worse
|
16.3%
4.6 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · 4Q avg 20.9% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | 16.4% |
18.3%
1.9 pts better
|
14.9%
1.5 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · 4Q avg 16.4% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | 1.1% |
1.7%
0.6 pts better
|
1.0%
0.1 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q2 4.2% · 4Q avg 1.1% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | 3.5% |
2.5%
1 pts worse
|
1.7%
1.8 pts worse
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 4.8% · Q2 4.5% · Q3 0.0% · Q4 4.8% · 4Q avg 3.5% · Used in QM five-star |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence | 12.0% |
26.0%
14 pts better
|
19.8%
7.8 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 18.9% · Q2 9.9% · Q3 9.7% · Q4 9.3% · 4Q avg 12.0% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | 1.6% |
4.3%
2.7 pts better
|
5.1%
3.5 pts better
|
Long Stay · 2024Q4-2025Q3 · Q1 0.0% · Q2 0.0% · Q3 6.5% · Q4 0.0% · 4Q avg 1.6% · Used in QM five-star |
Survey summary
Recent inspection cycles
Cycle 2
Health 2024-08-29 · Fire 2024-08-29
0 health deficiencies
No concentrated health issue counts in this cycle.
2 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Egress (1 deficiency)
Cycle 3
Health 2023-12-07 · Fire 2023-12-07
0 health deficiencies
No concentrated health issue counts in this cycle.
2 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Gas and Vacuum and Electrical Systems (1 deficiency)
Fire safety
Fire-safety citations
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2025-07-17
K712 · Miscellaneous Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Corrected 2025-07-22
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2025-07-17
K918 · Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Corrected 2025-07-22
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2024-08-29
K222 · Egress Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.
Corrected 2024-10-05
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2024-08-29
K712 · Miscellaneous Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Corrected 2024-09-12
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2023-12-07
K354 · Smoke Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.
Corrected 2023-12-19
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2023-12-07
K918 · Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Fire Safety
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Corrected 2024-01-08
Inspection history
Recent health citations
F · Potential for more than minimal harm
2025-07-17
F851 · Administration Deficiencies
Health
Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
Corrected 2025-08-07
Penalties and ownership
What sits behind the stars
Ownership
Nearby options
Other facilities in reach
#1
Lakeside Lutheran Home
Emmetsburg, IA
1-star overall rating with 2-star inspections with 13 recent health deficiencies with 21 fire-safety deficiencies in the latest cycle
#2
Emmetsburg Care Center
Emmetsburg, IA
2-star overall rating with 2-star inspections with $25,695 in total fines with 8 recent health deficiencies with 2 fire-safety deficiencies in the latest cycle
#3
Ruthven Community Care Center
Ruthven, IA
4-star overall rating with 4-star inspections with 2 recent health deficiencies
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