Home›Browse›Iowa›Decorah›The Highlands

Nursing homeFAID #4128

The Highlands

607 Highland Drive, DECORAH, IA, 52101

(563) 382-3603

86 licensed beds

★★★★★2/5CMS Five-Star overall2/5 health inspections4/5 staffing3/5 quality measuresSource: CMS Care Compare

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Address

607 Highland Drive

Decorah, IA 52101

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Public record summary

What we can show you for free.

Bed capacity

CMS facility ID

165178

Care type

Nursing home

County

Winneshiek

Facility name

The Highlands

Street address

607 Highland Drive

City / state / ZIP

Decorah, IA 52101

Phone

(563) 382-3603

About this facility — The Highlands

The Highlands is a Medicare/Medicaid-certified skilled nursing facility in Decorah, Iowa. It is licensed for 86 beds — well above the median for skilled nursing facilities in Iowa (57 beds).

It is one of 7 senior care facilities in Decorah and 389 skilled nursing facilities across Iowa. Families comparing options should weigh inspection history, ownership record, and litigation — not just the tour — before deciding.

Federal inspectors have cited The Highlands 54 times across 11 inspections in the last three years, including 4 food-safety citations, and CMS has imposed $93,839 in fines. Every citation is listed, dated, and graded in the inspection record below.

This listing draws on federal CMS Nursing Home Compare records, and was last updated on August 31, 2026. Background reports are compiled from primary sources — state inspection files, federal CMS data, corporate registrations, and court records — at the time of order.

Facility background

What the public record shows.

Ownership & operator

Ownership type

Non profit - Corporation

Registered owners & officers

Bjelland, Susan

Managing employee — since 2010

Continuum Health Care Services Llc

Operational control — since 2013

Elsbernd, Nancy

Managing employee — since 2010

Schmidt, Jeffrey

Director — since 2013

Regulatory standing

Licensed / certified since

1993-01-01

CMS overall rating

2 of 5 stars

Health deficiencies

6 at the last standard inspection

Federal fines

$93,839 total

Last standard inspection

2025-06-12

Nurse staffing

3.9 hours per resident per day

Cost & payer profile (FY2023 cost report)

Average billed charges

$257 per day (≈ $7,810/month). Private-pay prices typically track billed charges; Medicare and Medicaid pay set rates.

Payer mix (resident days)

36% Medicaid · 4% Medicare · 61% private/other

Occupancy

58% (fiscal year 2023)

Vs. state median

25% below the IA median of $342/day — full state cost breakdown

Services & coverage

Licensed beds

Medicare

Accepted

Medicaid

Accepted

Compiled from CMS Nursing Home Compare; owners/officers from the CMS Ownership dataset; cost & occupancy from the facility's own CMS cost report · last verified 2026-08-31. Facilities can submit a correction.

Inspection record

Every citation, dated and graded.

Kitchen & food safety

Federal surveyors inspect the kitchen at every standard visit. This facility has 4 food-safety citations on its three-year record — flagged below among the inspections.

2026-06-18Health inspectionComplaint-triggered1 citation

F-0689

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Corrected 2026-07-01

2025-09-23Health inspectionComplaint-triggered2 citations

F-0550

E · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

Corrected 2025-09-24

F-0923

E · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Have enough outside ventilation via a window or mechanical ventilation, or both.

Corrected 2025-09-24

9 earlier / fire-safety inspections (51 citations)

2025-06-12Health inspection3 citations

F-0582

D · No harm found

Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.

Corrected 2025-06-26

F-0641

B · No harm found

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

Corrected 2025-06-26

F-0943

D · No harm found

Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Corrected 2025-06-26

2024-12-09Health inspectionComplaint-triggered1 citation

F-0684

J · Immediate jeopardyFrom a complaint

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

Corrected 2024-12-10

2024-09-25Health inspectionComplaint-triggered2 citations

F-0580

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

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

Corrected 2024-09-26

F-0684

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

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

Corrected 2024-09-26

2024-07-25Health inspection7 citations

F-0644

D · No harm found

Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0684

D · No harm found

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

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0689

G · Actual harm

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0800

E · No harm foundFood safety

Provide each resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that meets his or her daily nutritional and special dietary needs.

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0801

C · No harm foundFood safety

Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0802

E · No harm foundFood safety

Provide sufficient support personnel to safely and effectively carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service.

Corrected 2024-07-26

F-0812

E · No harm foundFood safety

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

Corrected 2024-07-26

2024-02-07Health inspectionComplaint-triggered6 citations

F-0550

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

Corrected 2024-02-08

F-0584

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

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.

Corrected 2024-02-08

F-0641

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

Corrected 2024-02-08

F-0658

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

Corrected 2024-02-08

F-0677

D · No harm foundFrom a complaint

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

Corrected 2024-02-08

F-0689

G · Actual harmFrom a complaint

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Corrected 2024-02-08

2023-09-18Health inspection6 citations

F-0550

D · No harm found

Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.

Corrected 2023-09-29

F-0578

D · No harm found

Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.

Corrected 2023-09-29

F-0582

B · No harm found

Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.

Corrected 2023-09-29

F-0656

D · No harm found

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

Corrected 2023-09-29

F-0684

D · No harm found

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

Corrected 2023-09-29

F-0880

E · No harm found

Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.

Corrected 2023-09-29

2025-06-12Fire-safety inspection8 citations

E-0029

F · No harm found

Develop a communication plan.

Corrected 2025-06-24

E-0039

F · No harm found

Conduct testing and exercise requirements.

Corrected 2025-06-24

K-0291

F · No harm found

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

Corrected 2025-06-20

K-0345

F · No harm found

Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.

Corrected 2025-06-25

K-0353

F · No harm found

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

Corrected 2025-06-25

K-0354

F · No harm found

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

Corrected 2025-06-30

K-0711

F · No harm found

Provide a written emergency evacuation plan.

Corrected 2025-06-30

K-0712

F · No harm found

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

Corrected 2025-06-25

2024-07-25Fire-safety inspection14 citations

E-0004

F · No harm found

Develop and maintain an Emergency Preparedness Program (EP).

Corrected 2024-08-31

E-0006

F · No harm found

Conduct risk assessment and an All-Hazards approach.

Corrected 2024-08-15

E-0026

F · No harm found

Establish roles under a Waiver declared by secretary.

Corrected 2024-08-16

E-0030

F · No harm found

List the names and contact information of those in the facility.

Corrected 2024-08-31

E-0039

F · No harm found

Conduct testing and exercise requirements.

Corrected 2024-08-28

K-0291

F · No harm found

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

Corrected 2024-08-31

K-0321

D · No harm found

Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.

Corrected 2024-08-31

K-0345

F · No harm found

Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.

Corrected 2024-08-07

K-0347

F · No harm found

Properly provide smoke detection systems in areas open to corridors.

Corrected 2024-08-15

K-0354

F · No harm found

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

Corrected 2024-08-31

K-0712

F · No harm found

Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.

Corrected 2024-08-31

K-0761

D · No harm found

To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.

Corrected 2024-08-31

K-0918

F · No harm found

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

Corrected 2024-08-06

K-0921

F · No harm found

Ensure that testing and maintenance of electrical equipment is performed.

Corrected 2024-08-31

2023-09-18Fire-safety inspection4 citations

K-0131

F · No harm found

Meet requirements for sections of health care facilities separated by fire resistive construction.

Corrected 2023-09-22

K-0222

F · No harm found

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.

Corrected 2023-10-20

K-0511

D · No harm found

Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.

Corrected 2023-09-20

K-0920

E · No harm found

Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.

Corrected 2023-09-20

Federal penalties

2024-12-09Fine$50,211

2024-07-25Fine$43,628

2024-07-25Medicare payment denial — 10 days

Total fines$93,839

Citations and penalties from the CMS Provider Data Catalog (three-year survey window, refreshed monthly). Severity codes follow the federal scope/severity grid; “Immediate jeopardy” is the most serious grade CMS issues. CCN 165178.

Inside your report

What unlocks when you order.

Ownership & corporate history

Primary tier

Prior operators & transfers

Corporate network & affiliates

Owners' other facilities

· · 2 more

Inspection citations — last 5 years

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The 54 citations above are shown free. The report takes each one and explains it in plain English — what the tag requires, how serious the scope/severity grade really is, whether it recurred across surveys — plus the five-year pattern a single inspection can't show.

Civil & criminal lawsuits

Advanced tier only

Active civil suits

Federal dockets

CDC infection data

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Original records

Sources we pull for this facility.

Source

CMS Nursing Home Compare

data.cms.gov Provider Data Catalog

Last verified 2026-08-31

Source

Secretary of State filings

Entity & officer search

Pulled when a report is ordered

Source

PACER federal dockets

pacer.uscourts.gov

Pulled when a report is ordered