facebook tracking Palo Alto County Hospital, Emmetsburg IA: CMS Ratings
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Palo Alto County Hospital

All states › Iowa › Emmetsburg › Palo Alto County Hospital

3201 First Street Emmetsburg, IA 50536 · Palo Alto County

(712) 852-5520

All 3 nursing homes in Emmetsburg, IA (3 take Medicaid)

Accepts Medicaid 22 certified beds Government

CMS certification number 16E668 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare

Ratings come from CMS and are updated monthly; these are from October 2026. Check the latest inspection report and visit in person before you decide.

Is Palo Alto County Hospital a good nursing home? Reviews, ratings and inspection record

There are no official resident reviews of nursing homes: Medicare's Care Compare publishes inspections, staffing and quality data instead. Here is what that record shows for Palo Alto County Hospital as of October 2026.

CMS rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, above the Iowa average of 3.1. Inspectors issued 1 citation in the last three years. CMS reports no fines or payment denials in that time.

Online reviews from families and residents are on Google Maps and other sites; they reflect individual experiences and aren't checked by CMS. The full inspection reports, including what inspectors observed, are on Medicare Care Compare.

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Compare with the 3 closest homes

Staffing

Nursing staff spend about 2.75 hours per resident per day at Palo Alto County Hospital, below the Iowa median of 3.76 (US median: 3.72). About 1.45 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 2.06 hours, 25% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 22.2% of nursing staff left within a year (Iowa median 41.7%). That is lower than most homes in Iowa, a sign of a steadier team.

Nursing care per resident per day 2.75 hours
Below the Iowa median of 3.76 Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and aides combined, from payroll records.
Registered nurse hours 1.45 per resident a day RNs handle assessments, medications and changes in condition.
Weekend nursing care 2.06 hours Per resident a day. A big drop from weekdays can mean thin weekend staffing.
Nursing staff turnover 22.2% a year Share of nursing staff who left over a year. Lower usually means steadier care.
Registered nurse turnover 14.3% a year Share of registered nurses who left over a year.
Administrators who left — Frequent leadership changes are worth asking about on a visit.

About this nursing home

Certified beds22
Residents per day 22 About 98% of beds filled, on average
OwnershipGovernment - County
Payment acceptedMedicaid
Certified sinceFebruary 1986
Legal business nameLegal Business Name Not Available
Located in a hospitalYes

Paying for care at Palo Alto County Hospital: Medicare and Medicaid

Palo Alto County Hospital is certified for Medicaid but not Medicare, so Medicare won't pay for a rehab stay here after a hospital discharge. It can serve long-term residents covered by Iowa Medicaid.

This home is located in a hospital.

Health inspections

The most recent standard inspection was on July 17, 2025 and found 1 deficiency. In total, inspectors issued 1 citation in the last three years.

Each citation has a scope and severity letter from A to L. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.

What the inspections found

Over the last three years, inspectors issued 1 citation at Palo Alto County Hospital across 1 inspection date. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 1 was "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 0 were minimal (A–C). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data" (tag F0851, level F, July 17, 2025).

July 17, 2025 · 1 citation

FElectronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.

Potential for more than minimal harm · Administration Deficiencies · Tag F0851 · Deficient, Provider has date of correction (Aug 7, 2025)

Questions to ask on a tour of Palo Alto County Hospital

  1. Weekend staffing is 25% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
  2. Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
  3. When is the first care-plan meeting, and can family attend?

Questions come from this home's CMS data: its inspections, staffing and ownership record.

Fines and payment denials

CMS reports no fines or payment denials for this home in the last three years.

Rating history

CMS monthOverallInspectionStaffingQuality
October 2026 5/5 4/5 4/5 5/5
August 2026 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5
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Location

Hospitals near Palo Alto County Hospital

The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.

  • 0.1 mi
    Palo Alto County Hospital Emmetsburg
    Emergency room
    Median ER visit 1h 43m for patients treated and sent home
  • 21.3 mi
    Avera Holy Family Health Estherville
    Emergency room ★★☆☆☆ Medicare overall 2 of 5
    Median ER visit 1h 50m for patients treated and sent home
  • 22.9 mi
    Spencer Municipal Hospital Spencer
    Emergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5
    Median ER visit 2h 8m for patients treated and sent home

Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.

Nearby nursing homes

Lakeside Lutheran Home Emmetsburg · 0.4 mi away ★★★★☆ Inspection 3/5 · Staffing 5/5 55 beds · Medicaid
Emmetsburg Care Center Emmetsburg · 1.3 mi away ★☆☆☆☆ Inspection 1/5 · Staffing 3/5 46 beds · Medicaid
Ruthven Community Care Center Ruthven · 10.6 mi away ★★★★☆ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 3/5 46 beds · Medicaid
West Bend Health and Rehabilitation West Bend · 16.6 mi away ★★★★★ Inspection 4/5 · Staffing 3/5 45 beds · Medicaid
Estherville Community Care Center Estherville · 20.6 mi away ★★☆☆☆ Inspection 2/5 · Staffing 4/5 46 beds · Medicaid

More nursing homes near Palo Alto County Hospital ›   All nursing homes in Emmetsburg ›

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Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog (provider information, health deficiencies, penalties), October 2026. Inspection citations and penalties cover the last three years. Nursing Homes In Each State is independent and not affiliated with CMS or Medicare. About the data · Report a problem with this listing. Is this your nursing home? Feature it here.

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https://www.nursinghomesineachstate.com/iowa/emmetsburg/palo-alto-county-hospital/ · Data: CMS, October 2026 · Nursing Homes In Each State, not affiliated with CMS or Medicare.