All states › Minnesota › Aurora › Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center
5211 Highway 110 Aurora, MN 55705 · St. Louis County
CMS certification number 245469 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center 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 Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, above the Minnesota average of 3.2.
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.
Staffing
Nursing staff spend about 3.65 hours per resident per day at Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center, below the Minnesota median of 4.18 (US median: 3.72). About 1.09 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 2.88 hours, 21% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 16.7% of nursing staff left within a year (Minnesota median 39.7%). That is lower than most homes in Minnesota, a sign of a steadier team. 2 administrators left in the past year.
About this nursing home
Paying for care at Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center: Medicare and Medicaid
Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center is certified for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare Part A can cover a short skilled-nursing or rehab stay here after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three inpatient days (observation days don't count), for up to 100 days per benefit period. Medicaid can pay for long-term care for residents who meet Minnesota's income and asset rules. Being certified doesn't guarantee a Medicaid bed is open, so ask whether the home accepts residents whose Medicaid application is still pending.
In 2026 Medicare covers days 1–20 in full after the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period); for days 21–100 you pay $217 a day; after day 100 you pay all costs. Medicare doesn't pay for long-term custodial care. Medicare's coverage rules.
This home is located in a hospital.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on January 28, 2026 and found 0 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 5 citations 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 5 citations at Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center across 1 inspection date. None were at the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy levels; 5 were "potential for more than minimal harm" (D–F) and 0 were minimal (A–C). The most common areas cited were quality of life and care (2) and administration (1). 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, October 25, 2023).
October 25, 2023 · 5 citations
FElectronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.
DHonor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
DProvide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
DProvide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
DDevelop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Questions to ask on a tour of Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center
- Weekend staffing is 21% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- Several administrators left in the past year. What has changed for residents since then?
- Do you have a Medicaid bed open now, and will you admit someone whose Medicaid application is still pending?
- 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 month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| August 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
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0.1 mi
Northern Pines Medical Center AuroraEmergency roomMedian ER visit 1h 52m for patients treated and sent home
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15.0 mi
Virginia Regional Medical Center VirginiaEmergency room ★★★★☆ Medicare overall 4 of 5Median ER visit 2h 11m 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.
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Other Essentia Health nursing homes in Minnesota
- Essentia Health Virginia Care Cent · Virginia · 5 stars
- Essentia Health Oak Crossing · Detroit Lakes · 5 stars
- Essentia Health Grace Home · Graceville · 5 stars
- First Care Living Center · Fosston · 4 stars
- Essentia Health Homestead · Deer River · 2 stars
Affiliation comes from CMS's affiliated-entity data, October 2026. All 6 Essentia Health nursing homes ›
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.