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Nursing HomeMedicaid

Buffalo Lake Health Care Center

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise compassionate and kind nursing staff. Still worth an in-person visit.

703 West Yellowstone Trail, Buffalo Lake, MN 5531449 bedsLicensed & Active
4/5
Medicare
Inspection
Quality
Staffing
Google rating
4.7/5

based on 3 Google reviews

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What this means for your family

This facility is highly regarded for its compassionate staff and pleasant physical environment, which can help ease the transition for new residents. Since current reviews are limited in detail, we recommend scheduling a tour to observe staff-resident interactions firsthand and asking about daily programming to ensure it meets your loved one's needs.

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026
RN Hours
0.91hrs
OK
Registered nurses for medical care
Total Nursing
4.81hrs
OK
All nurses + aides combined
Staff Turnover
32%
Lower is better (< 30% = good)
RN Turnover
0%
Lower is better (< 30% = good)

This facility meets the national staffing benchmarks. Higher staffing is linked to fewer falls and better day-to-day care.

Quality Measures

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 16 measures

Medicare Rating
2/ 5
Better Than Avg

11

measures

Worse Than Avg

4

measures

Mixed Results

1

measures

Long-Stay Residents
💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better
This Facility7.7%
Better than Avg
Here
7.7%
US
19.5%
MN
12.5%
😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better
This Facility0.6%
Better than Avg
Here
0.6%
US
12.1%
MN
4.3%

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

🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better
This Facility23.3%
Worse than Avg
Here
23.3%
US
14.4%
MN
18.6%
🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility23.9%
Worse than Avg
Here
23.9%
US
15.3%
MN
21.4%
🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility27.0%
Worse than Avg
Here
27.0%
US
19.4%
MN
24.5%
💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better
This Facility10.1%
Better than Avg
Here
10.1%
US
15.5%
MN
17.0%
Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)
💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better
This Facility90.2%
Better than Avg
Here
90.2%
US
81.8%
MN
88.3%
💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better
This Facility0.0%
Better than Avg
Here
0.0%
US
1.6%
MN
1.8%
Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

8deficiencies
Near state avg (8.0)
1 complaint-triggered

This facility shows a pattern of recurring deficiencies across multiple areas, with families filing at least one complaint that triggered an investigation into suspected abuse reporting failures. The most frequent issues involve fire safety and emergency preparedness, infection control, and resident rights including family notification requirements. While past deficiencies appear to have been corrected, the January 2026 survey revealed new problems in infection control, dietary services, and resident communication, suggesting ongoing compliance challenges that families should discuss during visits.

Jan 8, 2026Routine
10
0812Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

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

0880Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0882Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Designate a qualified infection preventionist to be responsible for the infection prevent and control program in the nursing home.

0580Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

0211Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Egress Deficiencies

Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.

0324Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Provide properly protected cooking facilities.

0645Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities

0684Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.

0808Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies

Ensure therapeutic diets are prescribed by the attending physician and may be delegated to a registered or licensed dietitian, to the extent allowed by State law.

0881Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Implement a program that monitors antibiotic use.

Nov 20, 2024Routine
4
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.

0271Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Egress Deficiencies

Have exits that are accessible at all times.

0353Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

0363Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.

Dec 28, 2023Complaint
1
0609Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies

Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.

Dec 20, 2023Routine
6
0580Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.

0583Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.

0625Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.

0883Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

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

0291Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Egress Deficiencies

Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.

0355Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

Buffalo Lake Health Care Center

Organization Type

nonprofit

Ownership & Management

Key personnel

Baumgarten, MaryOfficer / DirectorDeal, DebraOfficer / DirectorDeal, GayleOfficer / DirectorLauer, BrianOfficer / DirectorMackey, LorenOfficer / Director
Source: Medicare provider data

Contact

Get in Touch

Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.

References & Resources

EveryPlace is a research directory. Facility information is compiled from public sources — Medicare.gov, state licensing portals, Google Places, and publicly available street-level imagery. Listings do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or advertisement, and we do not accept payment for placement. Families should verify all details directly with the facility and the original sources linked above before making any care decisions. See our Research Policy for our editorial standards, correction process, and image-removal policy.

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