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Buchanan County Health Center
1600 First Street East, Independence, IA 50644
Ratings are based on the most recent data available; a facility's ratings may have changed since the last update. The health inspection rating is based on the three most recent standard surveys and complaint investigations. CMS processed this record on 1 Aug 2026. View the Care Compare record.
Buchanan County Health Center is a Government, county nursing home in Independence, Iowa, certified for 39 beds and caring for about 35 residents a day.
CMS gives it 5 of 5 stars overall, above the Iowa median of 3; the health inspection rating is 4, staffing 5 and quality measures 4.
Inspectors recorded 12 health deficiencies across the three most recent survey cycles (1, 6, 5 by cycle, most recent first), 1 of them at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level. That is 30.8 per 100 beds, about the same as the state median of 27.5.
CMS lists 1 penalty in the period covered: fines totalling $4K.
Reported nurse staffing is 4.2 hours per resident per day (1.2 RN), close to the Iowa median of 3.7; nursing staff turnover is 26.3%.
Compared with county, state and nation
| Measure | This facility | Buchanan Co. median | Iowa median | US average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall star rating | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3.0 |
| Health citations, 3 cycles | 12 | 15 | 16 | 28.7 |
| Citations per 100 beds | 30.8 | 30.8 | 27.5 | 26.8 |
| Total nurse hours per resident day | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| RN hours per resident day | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Nursing staff turnover | 26.3% | 60.4% | 41.9% | 45.8% |
| Fines listed | $4,011 | $22,740 | $0 | — |
County and state figures are medians across facilities (2 in the county, 387 in the state); the US column is the CMS national average where CMS publishes one.
Citations by survey cycle
Dark bar: this facility. Grey bar: Iowa average per facility for the same cycle, as published by CMS. Standard health survey dates: 19 Mar 2026, 20 Mar 2025.
Severity mix: J ×1 D ×5 E ×1 F ×3 B ×2
Health deficiencies
Every health citation in the current CMS record (three survey cycles), most recent first. Tag text is the CMS requirement summary, not the inspection narrative.
Scope and severity letters (A–L)
| Survey date | Tag | What the tag requires | Severity | Type | Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Mar 2026 | F0880 | Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | E | Standard survey | 20 Mar 2026 |
| 20 Mar 2025 | F0812 | Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. | F | Standard survey | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 20 Mar 2025 | F0658 | Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. | D | Standard survey | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 20 Mar 2025 | F0637 | Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition | B | Standard survey | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 20 Mar 2025 | F0657 | Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. | B | Standard survey | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 26 Nov 2024 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | J | Complaint investigation | 31 Oct 2024 |
| 26 Nov 2024 | F0741 | Ensure that the facility has sufficient staff members who possess the competencies and skills to meet the behavioral health needs of residents. | D | Complaint investigation | 27 Dec 2024 |
| 6 Jun 2024 | F0801 | 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. | F | Standard survey | 5 Jul 2024 |
| 6 Jun 2024 | F0812 | Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. | F | Standard survey | 5 Jul 2024 |
| 6 Jun 2024 | F0637 | Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition | D | Standard survey | 5 Jul 2024 |
| 6 Jun 2024 | F0656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | D | Standard survey | 5 Jul 2024 |
| 6 Jun 2024 | F0688 | 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. | D | Standard survey | 5 Jul 2024 |
Penalties
| Date | Type | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Nov 2024 | Fine | $4,011 |
Staffing
Hours per resident per day as reported through the Payroll-Based Journal; grey bars are the Iowa average. Turnover: nursing staff 26.3%, RNs 12.5%; — administrators left in the reporting year.
Quality measures
| Measure | Residents | This facility | Iowa median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 15.5% | 16.8% | 12.6% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 9.7% | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 8.1% | 3.4% | 2.8% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 17.2% | 15.9% | 12.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 2.6% | 3.6% | 4.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 16.0% | 18.2% | 13.4% |
Four-quarter averages for the measures CMS uses in the quality-measure star rating (2025Q2-2026Q1). Lower is better for every measure listed. Medians are computed across facilities on this site.
Ownership
Ownership type: government, county. Legal business name: Legal Business Name Not Available.
No organisations are listed in the CMS ownership record for this facility.
Only organisations are shown. CMS also records individual owners, officers and managing employees; this site does not publish people's names.
Other nursing homes in Buchanan County
| Facility | City | Beds | Overall | Health | Staffing | Citations | Per 100 beds | Fines | Last survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Centers of Independence West Campus | Independence | 70 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 21.4 | $23K | 1 Apr 2026 |
All 2 facilities in Buchanan County
Questions and answers
How many deficiencies has Buchanan County Health Center been cited for?
12 health deficiencies across the three most recent survey cycles, 1 at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level. The Iowa median is 16 per facility.
Has Buchanan County Health Center been fined?
Yes. CMS lists fines totalling $4K in the period covered.
How does staffing at Buchanan County Health Center compare?
Reported total nurse staffing is 4.2 hours per resident per day against a Iowa median of 3.7 and a national average of 3.9.
Who operates Buchanan County Health Center?
Ownership type is government, county. Individual owners and managers are not listed on this site.
When was Buchanan County Health Center last inspected?
The most recent survey or investigation in the CMS record is dated 19 Mar 2026; the most recent standard health survey was 19 Mar 2026.
Where does this data come from?
All figures are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Care Compare datasets (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties, ownership and quality measures), processed 1 Aug 2026. Ratings and citations may change; the Care Compare record is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare nursing home datasets (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties, ownership, MDS quality measures, state and national averages), public domain, processed by CMS on 1 Aug 2026. Facility record: Care Compare. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections.