Nursing Homes in Iowa- Monthly Analysis & Key Metrics
Data as of March 24, 2024
Reviewed by Richard Saunders
The State Level Skilled Nursing Home Analysis Report
Recently, the Biden administration announced a goal of improving nursing home care, as highlighted in several important announcements (see the initial announcement and a subsequent announcement). While this is a commendable goal, it is not entirely clear what the best approach is for achieving it. Proposing minimum staffing levels for all nursing homes simplifies a complicated issue. Nursing Homes address a wide range of resident needs, from short-term rehabilitation to long-term care to dementia and memory issues, that require different levels of care. It also fails to address a national staffing shortage that will likely only worsen.
At NursingHomeDatabase.com, we believe that one critical element of any improvement effort is to have access to good, clear data and analysis that can help everyone understand the current state of affairs, identify trends, and track progress over time. To this end, we have built this series of reports that will try to illuminate the key metrics of nursing home performance for each state. Our reports are designed to provide valuable insights and inform policymakers, healthcare providers, and families who are interested in nursing home care.
The analysis for the state level report cards of nursing home care is primarily derived from data that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ("CMS") provides. CMS publishes weekly data about nursing home occupancy and COVID-19 infections and publishes monthly reports with ratings, staffing levels, and deficiencies.
Summary Analysis of Nursing Homes in Iowa- The 10,000 foot view
Updated on March 24, 2024
According to the latest data compiled by NursingHomeDatabase.com, Iowa has a total of 405 active skilled nursing facilities and 26,204 beds. Based on the US Census estimates for the population of 3,200,517, the current total bed count represents one bed for every 122.14 persons in Iowa. There were 19,422 residents as March 24, 2024 for a state wide occupancy level of 74.12 percent. (Note that the home count is based on monthly data provided by CMS and the number of beds and the occupancy numbers are based on weekly data. There is a minor number of homes that do not report their data weekly.)
According to the monthly data, Iowa has added 134 new beds and lost 1,396 existing beds over the past year.
The Biden Administration has announced that it wants to regulate minimum nursing home staffing levels. They have proposed minimums of .55 hours of care per resident per day from registered nurses (RNs) and 2.45 hours of care per resident per day certified nursing aids (CNAs). These are the current level amount of hours per resident per day of care for Iowa and a comparison to national averages.
| Staffing Levels | State | National |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (RN) | 0.73 | 0.65 |
| Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) | 2.35 | 2.26 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | 0.59 | 0.88 |
| All Staff | 3.66 | 3.78 |
Detailed analysis pages for the largest cities in Iowa:
COVID-19 Infections in Iowa Nursing Homes
While COVID-19 infections and deaths are down significantly from late 2020 and 2021, the number of infections and deaths continues to be monitored. For nursing homes in Iowa there were a total of 23 new cases and 23 new deaths among residents for the week ending March 24, 2024. The chart below shows COVID-19 activity for the past year.
New and Lost Nursing Homes in Iowa
Iowa added 2 new skilled nursing facilities and 134 beds over the past year. Below is list of the new facilities:
| Facility | Number of Beds |
|---|---|
| St Anthony Nursing Home | 79 |
| Southeast Iowa Healthcare Center | 55 |
Iowa lost 22 skilled nursing facilities and 1,396 beds over the past year. Below is list of the lost facilities:
This data is based on homes reported by CMS. Additional homes may have opened or closed but are not yet in the dataset.
Occupancy Percentages for Iowa Nursing Homes
The chart below shows the overall occupancy for nursing home beds in Iowa. Occupancies levels for individual facilities will differ and can be found on the detail page for the specific nursing home.
Best and Worst Nursing Homes in Iowa
The list below shows the best skilled nursing facilities in Iowa based on their most recent weighted average inspection score. Some nursing homes may have higher overall 5-star ratings than the homes on this list. We feel that the health inspection score is the best indicator of current operations. It changes quicker than the overall rating.
| Facility | Rating |
|---|---|
|
Northgate Care Center 960 4TH STREET NW WAUKON, IA |
0.00 |
|
Rockwell Community Nursing Hom 707 ELM STREET ROCKWELL, IA |
0.00 |
|
Brooklyn Community Estates 406 NORTH STREET BROOKLYN, IA |
0.00 |
|
Westview Care Center 445 EIGHTH AVENUE SW BRITT, IA |
0.00 |
|
On With Life 715 SW ANKENY ROAD ANKENY, IA |
0.00 |
|
Westview of Indianola Care Center 1900 WEST THIRD PLACE INDIANOLA, IA |
0.00 |
|
Emmetsburg Care Center 2405 21ST STREET EMMETSBURG, IA |
0.00 |
|
Sunrise Terrace Nursing and Rehabilitation Center 706 WEST CENTRAL AVENUE WINFIELD, IA |
0.67 |
|
Wheatland Manor 316 EAST LINCOLNWAY WHEATLAND, IA |
1.33 |
|
Hubbard Care Center 403 SOUTH STATE STREET HUBBARD, IA |
1.33 |
The list below shows the worst skilled nursing facilities in Iowa based on their most recent weighted average inspection score.
| Facility | Rating |
|---|---|
|
Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Care Center 1501 OFFICE PARK ROAD WEST DES MOINES, IA |
776.83 / |
|
Harmony West Des Moines 5010 GRAND RIDGE DRIVE WEST DES MOINES, IA |
602.17 |
|
Genesis Senior Living 5608 SW 9TH STREET DES MOINES, IA |
437.83 |
|
Aspire of Gowrie 1808 MAIN STREET GOWRIE, IA |
411.00 Rating Not Available |
|
Correctionville Specialty Care 1116 EAST HIGHWAY 20 CORRECTIONVILLE, IA |
384.17 / |
|
Fleur Heights Center For Wellness and Rehab 4911 SW 19TH STREET DES MOINES, IA |
374.00 / |
|
Ivy at Davenport 800 EAST RUSHOLME STREET DAVENPORT, IA |
359.67 |
|
Arbor Court 701 EAST MAPLELEAF DRIVE MOUNT PLEASANT, IA |
354.67 Rating Not Available |
|
Westwood Specialty Care 4201 FIELDCREST DRIVE SIOUX CITY, IA |
315.67 |
|
Iowa City Rehab and Health Care 3661 ROCHESTER AVENUE IOWA CITY, IA |
303.67 / |
Nursing Homes with the warning icon () have been flagged by CMS for abuse.
Skilled Nursing Homes in Iowa Compared to Nationwide
We have compared Iowa nursing homes to the nationwide average on several metrics. Iowa performed better than the national average on several metrics and worse on other metrics.
| Cycle 1 Total Number Of Health Deficiencies | 7.70 | Lower |
| Cycle 1 Total Number Of Fire Safety Deficiencies | 5.50 | Higher |
| Cycle 2 Total Number Of Health Deficiencies | 7.70 | Lower |
| Cycle 2 Total Number Of Fire Safety Deficiencies | 6.00 | Higher |
| Cycle 3 Total Number Of Health Deficiencies | 6.10 | Lower |
| Cycle 3 Total Number Of Fire Safety Deficiencies | 5.10 | Higher |
| Average Number Of Residents Per Day | 50.00 | Lower |
| Reported Nurse Aide Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 2.35 | Higher |
| Reported Lpn Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 0.59 | Lower |
| Reported Rn Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 0.73 | Higher |
| Reported Licensed Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 1.31 | Lower |
| Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 3.66 | Lower |
| Total Number Of Nurse Staff Hours Per Resident Per Day On The Weekend | 3.19 | Lower |
| Registered Nurse Hours Per Resident Per Day On The Weekend | 0.50 | Higher |
| Reported Physical Therapist Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 0.04 | Lower |
| Total Nursing Staff Turnover | 54.90 | Higher |
| Registered Nurse Turnover | 50.00 | Higher |
| Number Of Administrators Who Have Left The Nursing Home | 0.80 | Higher |
| Case-mix Rn Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 0.30 | Lower |
| Case-mix Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day | 2.91 | Lower |
| Number Of Fines | 2.30 | Higher |
| Fine Amount In Dollars | 32,977.00 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Whose Need For Help With Daily Activities Has Increased | 16.46 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Who Lose Too Much Weight | 5.07 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Low Risk Long Stay Residents Who Lose Control Of Their Bowels Or Bladder | 46.98 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents With A Catheter Inserted And Left In Their Bladder | 2.18 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents With A Urinary Tract Infection | 2.95 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Who Have Depressive Symptoms | 4.68 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Who Were Physically Restrained | 0.15 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Experiencing One Or More Falls With Major Injury | 3.83 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Assessed And Appropriately Given The Pneumococcal Vaccine | 93.69 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Who Received An Antipsychotic Medication | 17.98 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Assessed And Appropriately Given The Pneumococcal Vaccine | 84.79 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Who Newly Received An Antipsychotic Medication | 2.17 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Whose Ability To Move Independently Worsened | 18.34 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Who Received An Antianxiety Or Hypnotic Medication | 19.25 | Lower |
| Percentage Of High Risk Long Stay Residents With Pressure Ulcers | 5.86 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Long Stay Residents Assessed And Appropriately Given The Seasonal Influenza Vaccine | 95.27 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Who Made Improvements In Function | 79.15 | Higher |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Who Were Assessed And Appropriately Given The Seasonal Influenza Vaccine | 73.44 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Who Were Rehospitalized After A Nursing Home Admission | 21.58 | Lower |
| Percentage Of Short Stay Residents Who Had An Outpatient Emergency Department Visit | 13.40 | Higher |
| Number Of Hospitalizations Per 1000 Long-stay Resident Days | 1.58 | Lower |
| Number Of Outpatient Emergency Department Visits Per 1000 Long-stay Resident Days | 1.31 | Higher |
