Nursing HomeMedicaid Investigative

Northcrest Specialty Care

Below-average Medicare ratings — review the inspection history and ask the administrator about recent corrections before visiting.

2001health Street, Waterloo, IA 50703|94 beds|Licensed & Active

2/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

Google rating

3.3/5

based on 47 Google reviews

(319) 234-4423 Directions Website

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4/ 10

moderate Risk

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 RN turnover (60%)

Below average in IA · Below recommended RN staffing · Below chain average · No penalties on record

Source: Medicare data

What this means for your family

Northcrest Specialty Care shows strong results for short-term rehabilitation, but families should be aware of significant concerns regarding call light responsiveness and staffing consistency. We strongly recommend visiting during off-hours and asking specifically how the facility manages call light response times and hygiene assistance during weekends and evenings.

Google Reviews

47 reviews on Google

“Northcrest Specialty Care receives highly polarized feedback, with many families praising the physical therapy and rehabilitation outcomes while others report severe neglect and staffing shortages. While some residents experience compassionate care, multiple reviewers describe significant issues with call light response times, hygiene, and poor communication between departments.”

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details

Strengths

Effective physical and occupational therapy
Clean and modern facility environment
Helpful and kind individual staff members

Concerns

Slow or ignored call light response times (mentioned by 6 reviewers)
Poor quality and inconsistent meal service (mentioned by 5 reviewers)
Understaffing leading to neglect of basic hygiene (mentioned by 5 reviewers)
Lack of communication between staff and family (mentioned by 3 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

Distribution · 54 analyzed

How They Respond to Reviews

50%response rate

This facility responds to some reviews.

Questions for Your Tour

1I noticed that the facility has a modern and clean environment; how do you ensure that the same high level of cleanliness and hygiene is maintained for residents throughout the day?
2We understand that timely assistance is important for our loved one's comfort; could you walk us through your current process for responding to call lights and how you ensure no resident is left waiting too long?
3We see that your team is very active in responding to feedback online; how do you typically communicate with families regarding updates on their loved one's care or changes in their health status?
4Since physical and occupational therapy are noted strengths here, how are these services integrated into the daily routine to keep residents active and engaged?
5We are curious about the dining experience; what steps are you taking to improve the consistency and quality of the meal service to ensure residents are enjoying their nutrition?
6Given the current CMS health inspection ratings, what specific quality improvement initiatives is the leadership team currently prioritizing to enhance the overall care experience?

Personalized based on this facility's data

Key Review Excerpts

“The only redeeming quality is that it is pretty clean and their PT was helpful. With that being said, I will never take anyone here again.”

Family member of resident · 2024★☆☆☆☆

“The staff at Northcrest made a bad situation better. My father in law spent almost 6 months there after a series of illnesses. The staff got to know him and treated him like family.”

Memory care family member · 2023★★★★★

“I spent 16 days at Northcrest after spending 16 days at Allen hospital. I cannot say enough good things about the care I received while I was there. The staff were all very friendly and helpful.”

Rehab patient · 2025★★★★★

Source: 47 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

0.70hrs

94%

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.28hrs

80%

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

51%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

76%

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

4/ 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 Facility34.8%

Worse than Avg

Here

34.8%

19.4%

25.9%

Black hawk

28.2%

💉

Residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility85.7%

Worse than Avg

Here

85.7%

95.5%

95.3%

Black hawk

97.4%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.4%

Better than Avg

Here

0.4%

12.1%

4.1%

Black hawk

5.1%

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

💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility17.2%

Better than Avg

Here

17.2%

19.5%

20.7%

Black hawk

24.4%

💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility98.5%

Better than Avg

Here

98.5%

93.4%

93.9%

Black hawk

91.8%

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility19.7%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

19.7%

15.5%

19.4%

Black hawk

25.1%

Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better

This Facility88.0%

Better than Avg

Here

88.0%

81.8%

84.1%

Black hawk

85.9%

💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility76.6%

Mixed vs Avgs

Here

76.6%

79.8%

73.3%

Black hawk

80.4%

💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better

This Facility2.2%

Worse than Avg

Here

2.2%

1.6%

2.0%

Black hawk

1.6%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

8deficiencies

Above state avg (6.2)

13 complaint-triggered

Multiple families have filed complaints against Northcrest Specialty Care, triggering 12 of the 48 total deficiencies found across recent inspections. Primary concerns involve daily care assistance, treatment quality, and resident assessment practices. The facility also shows recurring issues with emergency preparedness, infection control, and safety systems. While all deficiencies show correction dates, the pattern of complaints suggests ongoing care quality challenges families should investigate thoroughly.

Feb 12, 2026Routine6 findings

0919Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.

0636Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.

0640Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.

0641Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

0880Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0926Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Environmental Deficiencies

Have policies on smoking.

Feb 12, 2026Complaint1 finding

0584Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

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.

Jun 4, 2025Complaint1 finding

0677Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.

Jan 30, 2025Routine9 findings

0271Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Egress Deficiencies

Have exits that are accessible at all times.

0353Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

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.

0880Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

0641Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

0684Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

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

0692Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.

0883Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

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

0887Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Infection Control Deficiencies

Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.

Oct 1, 2024Complaint1 finding

0684Actual harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

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

Apr 11, 2024Complaint1 finding

0697Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.

State Inspection History

State Inspections

Source: Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing

10total

15deficiencies

May 11, 2026ComplaintNo deficiencies

Clean