Nursing HomeMedicaid Top Rated

Briarwood Healthcare Center

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise low staff turnover in nursing and rehab. Still worth an in-person visit.

605 Greenwood Drive, Miller-Orchard · Iowa City, IA 52246|62 beds|Licensed & Active

5/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.2/5

based on 13 Google reviews

(319) 338-7912 Directions Website

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What this means for your family

This facility is a strong option if you value stability and compassionate care during end-of-life transitions, as the nursing staff is noted for low turnover and kindness. However, you should closely monitor the quality of rehabilitation services and staff interactions, as some reports suggest inconsistent attitudes and limited therapy resources.

Google Reviews

13 reviews on Google

“Families can expect a facility with highly dedicated, long-term nursing and physical therapy staff who provide compassionate end-of-life care. However, there are significant concerns regarding the facility's atmosphere and the inconsistent behavior of some staff members.”

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Low staff turnover in nursing and rehab
Compassionate end-of-life care
Clean and functional environment
Knowledgeable physical therapy professionals

Concerns

Inconsistent staff behavior and unhelpful attitudes
Minimal rehabilitation resources and time constraints

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 17 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

0%response rate

Questions for Your Tour

1We were so impressed to see your 5-star CMS ratings for staffing and health inspections; how do you maintain such high standards for resident care?
2Since we've heard great things about your physical therapy team, could you tell us more about how much time a resident typically gets for rehab sessions each day?
3We've noticed some mentions of the facility being very clean and functional; what is your daily routine for maintaining the resident living areas?
4How does the nursing team handle medical emergencies or changes in a resident's condition during the overnight hours?
5What kind of daily activities or social outings do you have planned to keep the residents engaged and connected with each other?
6We've heard wonderful things about the compassion shown during end-of-life care; how do you support families through those difficult transitions?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“The nursing and the physical rehab staff turn over is very low, which is rare for such facilities. Many have been there for years. They are devoted, caring professionals in my experience.”

Long-term resident's family · 2025★★★★★

“The entire staff (minus one) was above and beyond helpful, thoughtful, patient and KIND with not only my aunt but with the extensive number of family members who came to visit.”

Deceased resident's family · 2024★★★★★

“Rehabilitation is minimal but two PTs are knowledgeable and improvise therapy in spite of facilities and lack of time.”

Rehab patient/family · 2024★☆☆☆☆

Source: 13 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

0.51hrs

68%

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.99hrs

97%

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

41%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

29%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

Both RN and total nursing hours are below national benchmarks. This can mean less clinical attention per resident, so ask about their staffing plan.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating

3/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility36.7%

Worse than Avg

Here

36.7%

19.4%

25.9%

Johnson

24.1%

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility3.4%

Better than Avg

Here

3.4%

15.5%

19.4%

Johnson

14.6%

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility11.3%

Better than Avg

Here

11.3%

19.5%

20.7%

Johnson

25.7%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility4.5%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

4.5%

12.1%

4.1%

Johnson

11.3%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility99.5%

Better than Avg

Here

99.5%

93.4%

93.9%

Johnson

92.3%

💉

Residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

95.5%

95.3%

Johnson

93.9%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

79.8%

73.3%

Johnson

77.8%

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility99.3%

Better than Avg

Here

99.3%

81.8%

84.1%

Johnson

81.0%

💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility4.4%

Worse than Avg

Here

4.4%

1.6%

2.0%

Johnson

2.2%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

0deficiencies

Well below state avg (6.2)

Clean record — no deficiencies

Briarwood Healthcare Center shows a pattern of fire safety violations across multiple surveys, with recurring issues in building construction and emergency preparedness that have required ongoing corrections. The facility has also had deficiencies in resident assessment, medication management, and resident rights. While all violations show correction dates, the repeated fire safety concerns suggest ongoing infrastructure challenges that families should discuss during visits.

Dec 3, 2025Routine1 finding

0761Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.

Oct 10, 2024Routine4 findings

0883Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.

0321Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.

0641Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

0760Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.

Aug 10, 2023Routine8 findings

0363Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.

0712Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

0812Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

0161Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Construction Deficiencies

Use approved construction type or materials.

0550Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

0578Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Honor 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.

0658Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

0690Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.

State Inspection History

State Inspections

Source: Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing

10total

9deficiencies

Jun 10, 2026ComplaintNo deficiencies

Clean

Fed violations: 1, State violations: 0

Dec 3, 2025InspectionNo deficiencies

Clean