Nursing HomeMedicaid

Palo Alto County Hospital

Strong Medicare quality ratings. Still worth an in-person visit before deciding.

3201 First Street, Emmetsburg, IA 50536|22 beds|Licensed & Active

4/5

Medicare

Inspection

Quality

Staffing

(712) 852-5520 Directions Website

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What this means for your family

Choosing Palo Alto County Hospital means your loved one is in a facility that ranks well on Medicare quality measures. High RN hours correlate directly with lower rates of hospital readmission and better specialized care coordination. While no facility is perfect, the clinical data here is encouraging.

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026

RN Hours

1.26hrs

Registered nurses for medical care

Total Nursing

3.16hrs

77%

All nurses + aides combined

Staff Turnover

28%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

RN Turnover

33%

Lower is better (< 30% = good)

Total nursing hours are below minimum, though RN coverage is adequate. This may mean fewer aides for daily tasks like bathing and mobility.

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 14 measures

Medicare Rating

3/ 5

Better Than Avg

measures

Worse Than Avg

measures

Mixed Results

measures

Long-Stay Residents

💊

Residents on antipsychotic medication

↓ Lower is better

This Facility6.2%

Better than Avg

Here

6.2%

15.5%

19.4%

Palo alto

16.9%

🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility13.0%

Better than Avg

Here

13.0%

19.4%

25.9%

Palo alto

25.9%

😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better

This Facility0.0%

Better than Avg

Here

0.0%

12.1%

4.1%

Palo alto

11.0%

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 Facility100.0%

Better than Avg

Here

100.0%

93.4%

93.9%

Palo alto

97.1%

🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better

This Facility19.7%

Worse than Avg

Here

19.7%

15.3%

17.5%

Palo alto

13.4%

💉

Residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better

This Facility95.7%

Better than Avg

Here

95.7%

95.5%

95.3%

Palo alto

92.1%

Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

1deficiencies

Well below state avg (6.2)

Palo Alto County Hospital shows a pattern of recurring safety infrastructure issues, with emergency generator problems and fire drill deficiencies appearing in multiple surveys across three years. The facility's main challenges involve emergency preparedness, building safety systems, and administrative reporting requirements. While all deficiencies have correction dates indicating the hospital addresses identified problems, the repetition of generator and fire safety issues suggests ongoing maintenance challenges that families should consider when evaluating this facility.

Jul 17, 2025Routine3 findings

0851Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Administration Deficiencies

Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.

0712Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

0918Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.

Aug 29, 2024Routine2 findings

0222Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

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.

0712Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Miscellaneous Deficiencies

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

Dec 7, 2023Routine2 findings

0354Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Follow proper procedures when the automatic sprinkler systems was out of service for more than 10 hours.

0918Potential for harm · WidespreadCorrected

Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies

Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.

State Inspection History

State Inspections

Source: Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing

10total

8deficiencies

Aug 7, 2025InspectionNo deficiencies

Clean