West Ridge Specialty Care
A nursing home in Knoxville, Iowa 50138
1904 West Howard Street, Knoxville, Iowa 50138. (641) 842-3153.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 28, 2026.
- 4of 5 CMS’s overall rating
- 3 health citations at the latest inspection cycle Iowa average: 6.6
- 2.89 nurse hours per resident per day Iowa average: 3.86
- 0 fines in the last three years
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean7
- Star ratings
- CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
- Scope and severity (A to L)
- CMS grades each nursing home deficiency with a letter. A to C: no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. D to F: no actual harm, but potential for more. G to I: actual harm. J to L: immediate jeopardy. Within each band, the letter rises as more residents were affected or could be: one or a few, a pattern, or widespread. Source: CMS, nursing home scope and severity grid (State Operations Manual, chapter 7).
- Nurse staffing hours
- The hours registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse aides worked, per resident per day, from the payroll records each home sends CMS. Source: CMS, Payroll-Based Journal.
- Fines and payment denials
- A fine (civil money penalty) is money CMS makes a nursing home pay when it falls short of federal rules. A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stop paying for new admissions until the home meets the rules again. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.430 and 488.417.
- Capacity
- The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
3 health citations at the latest inspection cycle
The Iowa average is 6.6.
Last standard inspection Jul 2, 2026.
Most serious in three years: E: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm.
CMS, Provider Information, State and US Averages and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
When those citations happened
6 citations in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited Apr 2026. Most serious: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm (D). The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
All 6 citations in the last three years
Grouped by inspection, newest first. Each carries CMS grades each nursing home deficiency with a letter. A to C: no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. D to F: no actual harm, but potential for more. G to I: actual harm. J to L: immediate jeopardy. Within each band, the letter rises as more residents were affected or could be: one or a few, a pattern, or widespread. Source: CMS, nursing home scope and severity grid (State Operations Manual, chapter 7)., from A, the least serious, to L, the most. 6 came from complaint inspections.
CMS, Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
Apr 23, 2026: complaint inspection2 citations
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Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
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Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Nov 4, 2025: complaint inspection1 citation
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Honor the resident’s right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Aug 30, 2024: complaint inspection1 citation
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Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Mar 14, 2024: complaint inspection2 citations
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Immediately tell the resident, the resident’s doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
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Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Is it certified, and in good standing?
- Certified for Medicare and Medicaid since Nov 1, 1996.
- Not on CMS’s special focus list.
- No abuse icon from CMS.
- No change of ownership in the last 12 months.
- CMS lists its ownership as non profit, corporation.
- 78 certified beds.
CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
Has it been fined or penalized?
- No fines in the last three years.
- No Medicare payment denials in the last three years.
- 6 citations in the last three years came from complaint inspections.
CMS, Penalties and Health Deficiencies. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
Who does the caring?
2.89 nurse hours per resident per day
The Iowa average is 3.86.
CMS publishes staffing about four months after the fact.
CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Measure | This home | Iowa average |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse hours per resident per day | 2.89 | 3.86 |
| Of which registered nurses | 0.76 | 0.74 |
| At weekends | 2.49 | 3.38 |
| Nursing staff turnover | 51.4% | 44.1% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 33.3% | 42.1% |
| Administrators who left | 0 | Not given |
Who owns it?
- Care Initiatives owns 100% directly since Sep 1, 2009.
- 24 owners or officers are people: Kevin Childs (corporate director); Peter D Corless (corporate director, 0%); A person CMS lists without a name (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Linda L Upmeyer (corporate director); Emily Drake (corporate officer, 0%); Jeramy D Kuhn (corporate officer, 0%); Johanna Volm (corporate officer, 0%); A person CMS lists without a name (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Keith K Krein (corporate director, 0%); Mary Jane Carothers (corporate director); Denise D Sturm (corporate director, 0%); Shipeng Wei (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Shipeng Wei (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)); Susan Rafferty (corporate officer, 0%); Elizabeth Rust (corporate director, 0%); Jessica Mcdyer (corporate officer, 0%); Michael W Beal (corporate officer, 0%); Michael W Beal (corporate director); Tanya Gilyard (corporate officer, 0%); Carla Mahler (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Lane Morrell Bowen (corporate director, 0%); David B Dixon (corporate officer, 0%); Brittany Cox (runs it (operational or managerial control)); Brittany Cox (additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home)).
- Part of Care Initiatives (43 homes in CMS’s data).
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, All Owners. Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly.
CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care Initiatives | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Sep 1, 2009 |
| Computershare Corporate Trust Company, NA | Holds 5% or more of the mortgage | 16.19% | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Computershare Corporate Trust Company, NA | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Feb 19, 2026 | |
| An organisation CMS lists without a name | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Feb 19, 2026 | |
| An organisation CMS lists without a name | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Aug 6, 2025 | |
| An organisation CMS lists without a name | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Aug 6, 2025 | |
| An organisation CMS lists without a name | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Aug 6, 2025 | |
| An organisation CMS lists without a name | Additional disclosable party (controls, leases property to, or provides services to the home) | Aug 6, 2025 |
How do residents fare?
- CMS rates its quality measures 2 of 5 (Iowa average 3.4).
CMS, Provider Information and State and US Averages. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4 of 5 |
| Health inspections | 4 of 5 |
| Staffing | 3 of 5 |
| Quality measures | 2 of 5 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Among the 12 nearest homes, within 24.6 miles, this one had the 8th most health citations at the latest inspection cycle (3; the middle value was 5).
CMS, Provider Information. Released Oct 28, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Place | Miles away | Citations, latest cycle |
|---|---|---|
| West Ridge Specialty Care This nursing home | 3 | |
| Accura Healthcare of Knoxville, LLC | 1.5 | 6 |
| Accura Healthcare of Pleasantville, LLC | 9.9 | 1 |
| The Cottages | 12.9 | 13 |
| Chariton Specialty Care | 21.9 | 2 |
| Good Samaritan - Indianola | 23.2 | 12 |
| Oskaloosa Care Center | 23.3 | 12 |
| Accura Healthcare of Carlisle | 23.4 | 16 |
| Crystal Heights Care Center | 23.6 | 7 |
| The Village | 23.9 | 1 |
| Northern Mahaska Specialty Care | 24.5 | 4 |
| Westview of Indianola Care Center | 24.6 | 0 |
What the record doesn’t say
- Complaints that didn’t lead to a citation aren’t published.
- Inspections reach CMS’s data about six weeks after they happen, and staffing about four months after.
- CMS publishes the inspectors’ full written findings in a separate monthly file, which isn’t loaded yet.
- Fines and Medicare payment denials are the only enforcement CMS publishes; state licence actions aren’t included.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider Information (4pq5-n9py).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Health Deficiencies (r5ix-sfxw).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Penalties (g6vv-u9sr).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, All Owners (afe44b85-cc6d-40d7-b5df-00ae8910d1d2).
Checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, State and US Averages (xcdc-v8bm).
Released Oct 28, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.
From the home
The public record above comes first. Anything the home adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
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Paid listing
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