Good Shepherd Health Center
Below-average Medicare ratings — review the inspection history and ask the administrator about recent corrections before visiting.
based on 29 Google reviews
Watch Good Shepherd Health Center
Get an email when new inspections, ratings, or penalties are published for this facility.
We’ll only email you about this — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Quality Concerns Identified
Medicare inspection and quality data reveal areas that families should carefully evaluate before choosing this facility.
- Low overall rating (2/5 stars)
- Above-median deficiencies (8 vs median 5)
- High staff turnover (66%)
- High RN turnover (53%)
Below average in IA · Critically understaffed (RN) · $87,458 in fines
What this means for your family
While the facility is frequently praised for its cleanliness and friendly staff, families should be aware of significant communication barriers. We strongly recommend visiting in person to verify current staffing levels and establishing a clear point of contact for updates, as multiple reviewers have reported difficulty getting return calls.
Google Reviews
Google Reviews
29 reviews on Google“Good Shepherd Health Center receives polarized feedback, with many visitors praising the friendliness of the staff and the cleanliness of the facility. However, families have expressed significant frustration regarding communication lapses, difficulty reaching staff, and concerns about adequate staffing levels to meet patient needs.”
Quality Themes
Tap a score for detailsStrengths
- Friendly and helpful nursing staff
- Clean and well-maintained facility
- Supportive social work and administrative transitions
Concerns
- Poor communication and unresponsiveness to family inquiries (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
- Understaffing leading to delays in basic patient care (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
Rating Trends
Tap a year to see what changed
Distribution · 35 analyzed
How They Respond to Reviews
Questions for Your Tour
- 1Given that some families have expressed difficulty in staying updated on their loved one's status, what is your standard process for communicating changes in care or health updates to family members?
- 2With the facility currently managing a high volume of residents, how do you ensure that staff are able to respond promptly when a resident needs assistance with basic daily tasks?
- 3I noticed the facility has had a number of state-reported violations recently; what specific steps is the leadership team taking to address these concerns and improve the overall quality of care?
- 4I've read positive feedback about the warmth of your nursing team; how do you foster that supportive environment while managing the current staffing levels?
- 5What does a typical day look like for a resident here in terms of social engagement and activities, and how do you encourage participation?
- 6In the event of a medical emergency, what is your protocol for stabilizing a resident and how quickly are family members typically notified?
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“I recently moved a family member into Good Shepherd from Kentucky Ridge Assisted Living and was extremely impressed with the seamless transition. Little did I know that furniture and personal items would be moved for us at no fee!”
“We called and waited 45 minutes to talk to my grandfather - turns out they shredded the number. not impressed.”
“Nice people but need more help.”
Staffing
Staffing Hours
per resident/day · Medicare 2026Both 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
Quality Measures
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures
4
measures
6
measures
7
measures
Residents needing more daily help over time
Residents on antipsychotic medication
Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse
Residents whose walking got worse
Residents with depression symptoms
Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Inspection History
Medicare Inspection History
3-year lookback · Medicare 2026
This facility has 32 federal deficiencies across 7 surveys, with 8 triggered by family complaints - indicating residents or families filed official reports about care concerns. The most recurring problems involve resident rights and dignity, treatment and care quality, and safety hazards. While all deficiencies show correction dates, the pattern of repeated issues in core care areas and multiple complaint-driven investigations suggests ongoing quality concerns families should carefully consider.
Feb 24, 2026Complaint2
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Dec 11, 2025Routine5
Administration Deficiencies
Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Mar 13, 2025Complaint3
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Provide or arrange emergency care by a doctor 24 hours a day.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Oct 31, 2024Routine10
Egress Deficiencies
Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
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.
Administration Deficiencies
Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Egress Deficiencies
Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.
Smoke Deficiencies
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
Sep 6, 2024Complaint1
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Aug 30, 2024Complaint3
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Federal Penalties
Fine
Aug 30, 2024
$87,458
State Inspection History
State Inspections
Source: Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing
Mar 10, 2026ComplaintClean
Fed violations: 0, State violations: 0
Feb 24, 2026ComplaintClean
Fed violations: 2, State violations: 0
Jan 8, 2026InspectionClean
Fed violations: 0, State violations: 0
Dec 11, 2025InspectionClean
Fed violations: 5, State violations: 0
Apr 30, 2025ComplaintClean
Fed violations: 0, State violations: 0
Mar 13, 2025ComplaintClean
Fed violations: 3, State violations: 3
Dec 16, 2024InspectionClean
Fed violations: 0, State violations: 0
Oct 31, 2024InspectionClean
Fed violations: 7, State violations: 0
Ownership & Operations
Who Operates This Facility
Good Shepherd Health Center
nonprofit
Ownership & Management
Key personnel
Contact
Get in Touch
Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.
References & Resources
Medicare Care Compare
Official Medicare quality ratings, inspections & staffing data
Google Maps
Photos, directions & neighborhood info
Google Reviews
29 reviews from families & visitors
Official Website
Visit goodshepherdhealthcenter.org
Medicare data downloads
Original nursing home datasets
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.
Safer Alternatives Nearby
Based on current clinical data, we identified 6 nearby facilities within 10 miles that may offer a stronger care environment. We encourage families to compare options carefully.
Cornerstone AL
< 1 miAssisted Living · Mason City, IA
Heritage Care and Rehabilitation Center
< 1 miNursing Home · Mason City, IA
Kentucky Ridge Neighborhood AL
1.6 miAssisted Living · Mason City, IA
I O O F Home and Community Therapy Center
1.9 miNursing Home · Mason City, IA
Homestead Assisted Living
2.2 miAssisted Living · Mason City, IA
Country Meadow Place, LLC
4.7 miMemory Care · Mason City, IA