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Southern Hills Specialty Care

444 North West View Drive, Osceola, IA 50213 · Clarke County · (641) 342-6061

90 certified beds, about 84 residents a day · Non profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1996

Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
3 of 5
Health inspections
3 of 5
Staffing
3 of 5
Quality measures
3 of 5

CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 165293 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes

The record in brief

At its most recent standard inspection, on August 21, 2025, inspectors cited 5 health deficiencies (the Iowa average is 6.5, the national average 9.2).

None of its 8 health citations since December 2023 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.

CMS lists 1 fine totaling $36,865 in the last three years; the largest was $36,865, and the latest is dated August 18, 2024.

Nurses and nurse aides worked 3.38 hours per resident per day, against 3.82 across Iowa and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.60 of those hours.

40.4% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Iowa average 44.0%).

CMS links it to Care Initiatives, an affiliated group of 43 nursing homes.

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.

Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit

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 8 health citations on file.

Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
0J
0K
0L
Actual harm
0G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
4D
2E
1F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
0B
1C
August 21, 2025Standard inspection, Complaint inspection · 5 citations
  1. F
    Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.
    F865 · Administration · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) August 25, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on review of Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Report (CASPER) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), staff interview, and review of the facility QAPI (Quality Assurance Performance Improvement) plan, the facility failed to ensure an effective process to address previously identified quality deficiencies. This resulted in the facility receiving a Sanitary food serving deficiency for the third consecutive recertification survey. The facility reported a census of 86 residents. Findings Include:The CASPER report, dated 08/13/2025, documented the facility had been cited by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing for failures to serve food in a sanitary manner, resulting in an F0812 deficiency, twice in 2024. [...]
  2. E
    Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
    F812 · Nutrition and Dietary · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, pattern · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) August 25, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on direct observation, staff interview, and facility document review, the facility failed to serve food in a manner that prevents cross contamination and promotes food hygiene. The facility reported a census of 86.
  3. D
    Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
    F600 · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · found on a complaint visit · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) August 25, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on clinical record review, facility record review, video evidence, staff interview, and facility policy review, the facility failed to provide a private space free from being recorded without their consent and free from being degraded by staff members for 1 of 3 residents reviewed (Resident #73). The Facility reported a census of 86. Findings Include: The discharge Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for Resident #73, dated 08/12/2025, did not document her Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) score. It documented the following relevant diagnosis: unspecified dementia, unspecified severity. The Progress Notes, dated from 08/08/2025 through 08/21/2025, failed to document the incident. [...]
  4. D
    Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
    F689 · Quality of Life and Care · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) August 25, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on observation, staff interview, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure foot pedals were applied to residents' wheelchairs during transport for 2 of 2 residents (#11, #22) reviewed. The facility reported a census of 86 residents.
  5. D
    Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
    F880 · Infection Control · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) August 25, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on observations, staff interview, and policy review the facility failed to disinfect a mechanical lift after use between 3 of 3 residents (#3, #16, #45), failed to don appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the transfer for 1 of 1 resident on Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP), failed to maintain 1 of 1 resident's indwelling catheter bag below the resident's bladder during transfer, and failed to perform hand hygiene for 1 of 1 resident when moving from dirty to clean equipment. The facility reported a census of 86 residents.
April 10, 2025Complaint inspection · 1 citation
  1. C
    Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
    F925 · Environmental · No actual harm, potential for minimal harm, widespread · found on a complaint visit · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) April 11, 2025
    Inspectors wroteBased on review of the facility policy and staff interviews, the facility failed to immediately shower residents, bag clothing and linens for laundering, and sanitize resident furniture after the discovery of a bed bug in a resident room. The facility reported a census of 86 residents.
September 12, 2024Standard inspection · 1 citation
  1. E
    Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
    F812 · Nutrition and Dietary · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, pattern · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) September 27, 2024
    Inspectors wroteBased on direct observation, staff interview, and facility document review, the facility failed to serve meals in a manner that protects residents from cross-contamination. The facility reported a census of 85.
May 2, 2024Standard inspection · 0 citations
December 12, 2023Complaint inspection · 1 citation
  1. D
    Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
    F610 · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · found on a complaint visit · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) December 30, 2023
    Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews, and record review the facility failed to identify and assess an injury on 1 of 3 residents reviewed (Resident #6) at the time the bruise occurred. The facility found a large bruise that partially wrapped around Resident #6's upper left arm. The bruise was yellow in color which meant it was in it's final stages of healing. The facility reported a census of 80 residents.

Fire safety inspections

10 fire safety citations on file: 1 on August 21, 2025, 3 on September 12, 2024, 6 on May 2, 2024.

Every fire safety citation10 citations
  1. F
    Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
    K 923 · August 21, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  2. D
    Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.
    K 291 · September 12, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  3. D
    Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
    K 363 · September 12, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  4. D
    Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
    K 741 · September 12, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  5. F
    Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).
    E 4 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  6. F
    Follow proper procedures when the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours.
    K 346 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  7. F
    Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
    K 353 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  8. F
    Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.
    K 354 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  9. F
    Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
    K 918 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
  10. D
    Use approved construction type or materials.
    K 161 · May 2, 2024 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)

Fines and payment denials

DatePenaltyAmount or length
August 18, 2024Fine $36,865

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.

MeasureThis homeIowaUnited States
All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides)3.383.823.86
Registered nurses0.600.740.69
All nursing staff on weekends2.973.373.42
Nurse aides2.18
Licensed practical nurses0.61
Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year)40.4%44.0%45.8%
Registered nurse turnover55.6%42.1%42.9%
Administrators who left0

CMS expects 3.37 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 3.55 on weekdays and 2.97 on weekends, 16% 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 3.30 in April to June 2025 to 3.38 in January to March 2026.

QuarterAll nursing staffRegistered nursesWeekdaysWeekendsContract staff shareDays with no RN hoursResidents a day
Jan to Mar 20263.380.603.552.97 0.0%0 of 9084
Oct to Dec 20253.400.663.553.01 0.0%0 of 9284
Jul to Sep 20253.420.663.622.92 0.0%0 of 9286
Apr to Jun 20253.300.663.532.73 0.0%0 of 9186
United States, Jan to Mar 20263.750.623.923.335.3%0.5% of days
Iowa, Jan to Mar 20263.800.713.983.364.7%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

JobMedianMiddle halfEmployed
Iowa, all employers
CNAs (nursing assistants)$18.92$17.96 to $21.9522,670
LPNs and LVNs$30.11$27.12 to $34.065,510
Registered nurses$37.80$32.83 to $41.3234,420
United States, nursing care facilities
CNAs (nursing assistants)$20.67$17.91 to $22.55534,270
LPNs and LVNs$33.86$30.05 to $37.40188,210
Registered nurses$41.11$37.85 to $47.68142,270

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.

Work here? Share your pay anonymously

For Southern Hills Specialty Care. No name, email or phone, and nothing you could type about a resident: every answer is a number or a choice.

Your job
Employed by
Usual shift
Do you get a shift differential?
Optional questions
Mandatory overtime?
How did staffing feel on your usual shift?

Every report is reviewed before it counts; what it says about the home never decides whether it counts. How pay reports are handled.

How staff pay reports work · CNA pay by state

Quality measures

The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.

MeasureThis homeIowaUS
Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
13.317.113.9
Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
0.01.50.8
Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
1.92.41.6
Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
1.93.83.2
Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
0.02.11.6
Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
14.916.614.1
Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
2.44.24.6
Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1
27.019.415.4
Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission
Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231
31.020.923.8
Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit
Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231
12.813.212.0
Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days
Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231
2.11.51.9
Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days
Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231
2.22.11.8

Short-term rehab results

For a stay to recover after a hospital visit, these are the results CMS publishes for Southern Hills Specialty Care's Medicare short-stay residents. On returning residents home or to the community, CMS rates it no different from the national rate (46.6% of residents, after adjusting for how sick they were). How to read these, and what Medicare pays for.

Went home or back to the community

46.6% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 51.5% · Iowa: 28 better, 21 worse

Rate of successful return to home or community from a SNF (risk-standardized discharge to community rate). Higher is better. October 2022 to September 2024. 51 eligible stays.

Potentially preventable readmissions

12.6% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 10.7% · Iowa: 1 better, 1 worse

Rate of potentially preventable hospital readmissions 30 days after discharge from a SNF (risk-standardized rate). Lower is better. October 2022 to September 2024. 72 eligible stays.

Infections that led to a hospital stay

6.4% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 7.1% · Iowa: 0 better, 0 worse

Percentage of infections residents got during their SNF stay that resulted in hospitalization (risk-standardized rate). Lower is better. October 2023 to September 2024. 41 eligible stays.

Self-care and mobility at discharge

42.4% this home

Median of homes: Iowa56.7% · US 56.6%

Percentage of residents who are at or above an expected ability to care for themselves and move around at discharge. Higher is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 33 residents counted.

Falls with major injury

0.0% this home

Median of homes: Iowa0.0% · US 0.0%

Percentage of SNF residents who experience one or more falls with major injury during their SNF stay. Lower is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 46 residents counted.

New or worsened pressure ulcers

2.1% this home

Median of homes: Iowa1.8% · US 1.7%

Percentage of residents with pressure ulcers or pressure injuries that are new or worsened (adjusted rate). Lower is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 46 residents counted.

Medication list given at discharge

95.2% this home

Median of homes: Iowa100.0% · US 98.7%

Percentage of residents where the SNF provided a current medication list to the resident, family, and/or caregiver at final discharge. Higher is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 21 residents counted.

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: CARE INITIATIVES. CMS links this home to Care Initiatives, a group of 43 nursing homes averaging 2.9 stars overall.

NameRoleTypeShareSince
Care Initiatives5% or greater direct ownership interestOrganization100%08/01/1989
Computershare Corporate Trust Company, Na5% or greater mortgage interestOrganization01/01/2025
Beal, MichaelCorporate directorIndividual06/01/2020
Bowen, LaneCorporate directorIndividual01/01/2021
Carothers, Mary JaneCorporate directorIndividual01/01/2023
Childs, KevinCorporate directorIndividual04/01/2023
Corless, PeterCorporate directorIndividual01/01/2025
Krein, KeithCorporate directorIndividual06/29/2022
Rust, ElizabethCorporate directorIndividual01/01/2023
Sturm, DeniseCorporate directorIndividual01/01/2021
Upmeyer, LindaCorporate directorIndividual06/29/2022
Beal, MichaelCorporate officerIndividual06/01/2020
Dixon, DavidCorporate officerIndividual06/01/2016
Drake, EmilyCorporate officerIndividual01/04/2023
Gilyard, TanyaCorporate officerIndividual05/23/2025
Kuhn, JeramyCorporate officerIndividual06/25/2008
McDyer, JessicaCorporate officerIndividual02/22/2023
Volm, JohannaCorporate officerIndividual01/01/2021
Bushong, TammyOperational/managerial controlIndividual01/10/2025
Mahler, CarlaOperational/managerial controlIndividual01/01/2024
Wei, ShipengOperational/managerial controlIndividual01/01/2024
Bushong, TammyAdp of the SNFIndividual08/04/2025
Wei, ShipengAdp of the SNFIndividual08/04/2025

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.

  1. Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on August 21, 2025: "Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards."
  2. How are allegations of abuse or neglect reported and investigated, and who tells the family?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on August 21, 2025: "Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody."
  3. Who is the administrator and director of nursing, and how long have they been in the job?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on August 21, 2025: "Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities."
  4. How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on August 21, 2025: "Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents."
  5. Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 2.97 hours per resident per day, below the Iowa average of 3.37.

Other nursing homes nearby

Iowa contacts for a concern about a nursing home

These are the official offices in Iowa. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.

Common questions

What is Southern Hills Specialty Care's Medicare star rating?
CMS rates Southern Hills Specialty Care 3 out of 5 stars overall, with 3 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 3 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
How many deficiencies did Southern Hills Specialty Care get at its last inspection?
5 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on August 21, 2025. The Iowa average is 6.5.
Has Southern Hills Specialty Care been fined?
Yes. CMS lists 1 fine totaling $36,865 in the last three years.
Does Southern Hills Specialty Care accept Medicaid?
It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
Who owns Southern Hills Specialty Care?
CMS lists 23 owners and managers, and links the home to Care Initiatives. Legal business name: CARE INITIATIVES.

Sources

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