Buchanan County Health Center
1600 First Street East, Independence, IA 50644 · Buchanan County · (319) 334-6071
39 certified beds, about 35 residents a day · Government - County · Medicaid since 1974
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 16E050 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on March 19, 2026, inspectors cited 1 health deficiency (the Iowa average is 6.5, the national average 9.2).
Of 12 health citations since June 2024, 1 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy to residents (1 immediate jeopardy).
CMS lists 1 fine totaling $4,011 in the last three years; the largest was $4,011, and the latest is dated November 26, 2024.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 4.19 hours per resident per day, against 3.82 across Iowa and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 1.22 of those hours.
26.3% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Iowa average 44.0%).
Health inspections
Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.
Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.
Where its citations fall on CMS's grid
CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 12 health citations on file.
March 19, 2026Standard inspection · 1 citation
- E Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, clinical record review, manufacturer's use guide, policy review and staff interview the facility failed to use one blood glucose meter per resident (a device used to monitor blood sugar levels) and properly disinfect shared blood glucose meters according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for 5 of 5 residents reviewed (Resident #8, #9, #11, #14 and #34). The facility identified a census of 35 residents.
March 20, 2025Standard inspection · 4 citations
- F Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, policy review, and staff interviews the facility failed to ensure the commercial dishwasher reached hot water sanitizing levels. The facility reported a census of 34 residents.
- D Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, policy review, staff interview, and review of Kwik Pen Instructions for Use document, the facility failed to prime the needle of an insulin pen prior to the intent to deliver insulin to the resident (Resident #17). The facility reported a census of 34 residents.
- B Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Long term Care (LTC) Facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) 3.0 User's Manual, and staff interview, the facility failed to complete a Significant Change Status Assessment (SCSA) Minimum Data Set (MDS) Assessment upon hospice election for 1 of 1 residents (Resident #27) reviewed on hospice services. The facility reported a census of 34 residents.
- B Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review and staff interview the facility failed to revise and implement interventions on the comprehensive Care Plan to include hospice services for 1 of 1 residents (Resident #27) reviewed. The facility reported a census of 34 residents.
November 26, 2024Complaint inspection · 2 citations
- J Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, staff interviews, and policy review the facility failed to ensure 1 of 5 mobility independent residents that were reviewed with severe cognitive impairment were kept in a safe location on the facilities premises at all times (Resident #1). On 10/30/2024 at 1:38 PM Resident #1 exited the facility by using an unlocked door and entered the attached Independent Living facility without an alarm sounding resulting in staff unaware of her exiting the building, however was in a safe place on the facilities premises. At 1:44 PM Resident #1 then exited the facilities Independent Living and went into the parking lot of an unsafe location off premises where she attempted multiple times to open an unknown person's vehicle car door until approximately 2:15 PM (31 minutes). [...]
- D Ensure that the facility has sufficient staff members who possess the competencies and skills to meet the behavioral health needs of residents.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review and staff interview the facility failed to implement a comprehensive care plan with resident specific interventions to assist with identified exit seeking behaviors for 1 of 4 residents reviewed (Resident #1). The facility reported a census of 35 residents.
June 6, 2024Standard inspection · 5 citations
- F Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.
Inspectors wroteBased on document review, employee file review, and staff interview the facility failed to employ a certified nutrition professional and/or director who met the required qualifications in the time frame allowed. The facility reported a census of 37 residents.
- F Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, policy review, document review, and staff interview, the facility failed to maintain a sanitary kitchen, date food when opened, promote safe food storage, prevent touching of food with dirty gloves, and ensure the proper use of hair restraints when in the kitchen. The facility reported a census of 37 residents.
- D Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, Long Term Care Facility Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) review, and staff interview the facility failed to complete a significant change Minimum Data Set (MDS) within 14 days of determining a significant change for 1 of 1 resident reviewed for significant change (Resident #5). The facility reported a census of 37 residents.
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on physician order review, care plan review, and staff interview the facility failed to have anticoagulant, antibiotic, opioid, insulin, and diuretic medications and potential side effects to be monitored on the resident care plan for 4 of 7 residents reviewed (Residents #5, #6, #13, and #15). The facility reported a census of 37 residents.
- D Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, observation, and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure a resident with limited range of motion received the appropriate assistance to prevent decline or maintain mobility for 1 of 2 residents sampled (Resident #15). The facility identified a census of 37 residents.
Fire safety inspections
5 fire safety citations on file: 3 on March 19, 2026, 2 on March 20, 2025.
Every fire safety citation5 citations
- F Install a two-hour-resistant firewall separation.
- F Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- F Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.
- F Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.
- F Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
Fines and payment denials
| Date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| November 26, 2024 | Fine | $4,011 |
A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stopped paying for new admissions for that period.
Staffing
Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.
| Measure | This home | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 4.19 | 3.82 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 1.22 | 0.74 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 3.38 | 3.37 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.62 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.35 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 26.3% | 44.0% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 12.5% | 42.1% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | not reported |
CMS expects 2.91 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.
Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records
Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 4.52 on weekdays and 3.38 on weekends, 25% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 0.0% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 4.39 in April to June 2025 to 4.19 in January to March 2026.
| Quarter | All nursing staff | Registered nurses | Weekdays | Weekends | Contract staff share | Days with no RN hours | Residents a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 4.19 | 1.22 | 4.52 | 3.38 | 0.0% | 0 of 90 | 35 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 4.45 | 1.17 | 4.79 | 3.60 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 33 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 4.49 | 1.17 | 4.81 | 3.65 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 31 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 4.39 | 1.21 | 4.72 | 3.58 | 0.2% | 0 of 91 | 33 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Iowa, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.80 | 0.71 | 3.98 | 3.36 | 4.7% | 0.3% of days |
Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.
Staff pay reports
Staff pay at this home
No staff pay figure for this home has passed review yet. A figure appears only after at least 5 reports from at least 3 different people, sent over at least 60 days, have passed review. If you work here, your report helps start one.
Official wage estimates for Iowa
| Job | Median | Middle half | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa, all employers | |||
| CNAs (nursing assistants) | $18.92 | $17.96 to $21.95 | 22,670 |
| LPNs and LVNs | $30.11 | $27.12 to $34.06 | 5,510 |
| Registered nurses | $37.80 | $32.83 to $41.32 | 34,420 |
| United States, nursing care facilities | |||
| CNAs (nursing assistants) | $20.67 | $17.91 to $22.55 | 534,270 |
| LPNs and LVNs | $33.86 | $30.05 to $37.40 | 188,210 |
| Registered nurses | $41.11 | $37.85 to $47.68 | 142,270 |
Hourly wages; the middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. BLS has no separate estimate for medication aides. These are survey estimates for whole occupations, not figures for any one home.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 15.5 | 17.1 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 9.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 8.1 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 17.2 | 16.6 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 16.0 | 19.4 | 15.4 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 |
Short-term rehab results
For a stay to recover after a hospital visit, these are the results CMS publishes for Buchanan County Health Center's Medicare short-stay residents. How to read these, and what Medicare pays for.
CMS reports none of these results for this home: This nursing home is not required to submit data for the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program.
Source: CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program - Provider Data, released 2026-09-30. Better, no different and worse are CMS's own comparisons with the national rate, after adjusting for how sick residents were. Medians of homes and the state counts are worked out by us from the same file.
Owners and operators
Legal business name: Legal Business Name Not Available.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership data not available |
As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.
Questions to ask on a visit
Chosen from this home's own inspection record.
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 5 problems in this area, most recently on March 20, 2025: "Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality."
- Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on March 20, 2025: "Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards."
- How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on November 26, 2024: "Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents."
- What changed in infection control since the last inspection, and who on staff is the infection preventionist?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on March 19, 2026: "Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program."
Other nursing homes nearby
- Rehabilitation Centers of Independence West Campus Independence, 0.2 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 15 citations
- Oelwein Health Care Center Oelwein, 14 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 11 citations
- Grandview Healthcare Center Oelwein, 14.1 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 12 citations
- Laporte City Specialty Care La Porte City, 20.2 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 3 citations
- Virginia Gay Nursing & Rehab, LLC Vinton, 21.6 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 6 citations
- Good Neighbor Home Manchester, 22.3 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 6 citations
- The Vinton Lutheran Home Vinton, 22.7 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 13 citations
- Northcrest Specialty Care Waterloo, 22.9 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 29 citations
Iowa contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Iowa. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Health Facilities, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Iowa Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, 866-236-1430. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
- State inspection reports: Iowa Health Facility Database, Entity Search, where Iowa publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Buchanan County Health Center's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Buchanan County Health Center 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 4 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Buchanan County Health Center get at its last inspection?
- 1 health deficiency at the standard inspection on March 19, 2026. The Iowa average is 6.5.
- Has Buchanan County Health Center been fined?
- Yes. CMS lists 1 fine totaling $4,011 in the last three years.
- Does Buchanan County Health Center accept Medicaid?
- It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
- Who owns Buchanan County Health Center?
- CMS lists 1 owner or manager. Legal business name: Legal Business Name Not Available.
Sources
- Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
- Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
- Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
- Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
- Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
- Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
- Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
- NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.