All states › South Dakota › White River › White River Health Care Center
515 E 8th Street White River, SD 57579 · Mellette County
CMS certification number 43A089 · See this home on Medicare Care Compare
Is White River Health Care 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 White River Health Care Center as of October 2026.
CMS rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall, above the South Dakota average of 3.0.
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 5.06 hours per resident per day at White River Health Care Center, above the South Dakota median of 3.69 (US median: 3.72). About 0.71 of those hours are from registered nurses. On weekends it falls to 4.24 hours, 16% below its all-week average. Ask how weekends are staffed. 43.4% of nursing staff left within a year (South Dakota median 46.5%).
About this nursing home
Paying for care at White River Health Care Center: Medicare and Medicaid
White River Health Care Center 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 South Dakota Medicaid.
Health inspections
The most recent standard inspection was on July 9, 2026 and found 4 deficiencies. In total, inspectors issued 6 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 6 citations at White River Health Care Center across 3 inspection dates, 1 of them from complaint investigations. 1 was at the actual-harm level (G–I), most recently on November 18, 2024. The most common areas cited were pharmacy service (2) and freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation (1). The most serious was cited under the CMS rule to "protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody" (tag F0600, level G, November 18, 2024). 1 citation was under CMS's abuse, neglect and exploitation rules.
July 9, 2026 · 4 citations
EProvide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
DPost nurse staffing information every day.
DEnsure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
DProvide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
November 18, 2024 · 1 citation, includes actual harm · includes complaint inspection
GProtect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
December 13, 2023 · 1 citation
DProvide or obtain dental services for each resident.
Questions to ask on a tour of White River Health Care Center
- Inspectors cited the home at the actual-harm level on November 18, 2024 under the rule on freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. What changed afterwards, and can I see the plan of correction?
- CMS cited the home under its abuse and neglect rules on November 18, 2024. How are staff trained, and how are concerns reported?
- Weekend staffing is 16% below the all-week average. Who is on duty on Saturday nights?
- 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
1 penalty in the last three years, including $6,168 in fines.
| Date | Type | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2024 | Fine | $6,168 |
Rating history
| CMS month | Overall | Inspection | Staffing | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| August 2026 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
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Location
Hospitals near White River Health Care Center
The Medicare-certified hospitals closest to this nursing home, with their CMS data. Ask the home which hospital it usually sends residents to.
- 22.4 mi
Hospital ratings, ER visit times and more at Hospitals In Each State
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Nearby nursing homes
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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.