Report
TheVardellReport
Southern Hills Specialty Care
Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
444 North West View Drive
Osceola, IA 50213
Report
← Southern Hills Specialty Care, free profile
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The Vardell Report.Southern Hills Specialty Care
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Nursing home
- Location
- Osceola, IA
- Record Period
- 2023–2025
- Source Documents
- 7
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 5 inspections from December 2023 to August 2025, state surveyors documented 8 findings at Southern Hills Specialty Care; 8 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window.
- Inspections
- 5
- 2023–2025, standard and complaint
- Findings
- 8
- Deficiencies cited by state inspectors
- Corrected
- 8
- Of 8 findings, with a recorded correction date
- Penalties
- 1
- 1 fine; payment not published
Findings by Year
- Findings
- Of which, actual harm (level G or above)
* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.
| Year | Inspections | Findings | Of which, actual harm (level G or above) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What the Record Shows
- 8 of 8 findings have a recorded correction date.
- CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window: 1 fine of $36,865, its payment not published.
- 3 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- The latest standard inspection, August 21, 2025, recorded 5 findings (most serious: Level F).
What to Ask About
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Southern Hills Specialty Care
- Address
- 444 North West View Drive, Osceola, IA 50213
- CMS Certification Number
- 165293
- Provider Type
- Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
- Certified Beds
- 90
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Record Window
- December 12, 2023 to October 1, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every inspection in the record window, newest first. A finding is a deficiency an inspector cited. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- 2025
Standard health inspection
5 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
- F865Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.Level FNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Aug 25, 2025
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Aug 25, 2025
- F600Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Aug 25, 2025
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Aug 25, 2025
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Aug 25, 2025
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
1 finding
- F925Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.Level CPotential for minimal harmCorrected Apr 11, 2025
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2024
Standard health inspection
1 finding
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 27, 2024
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2024
Standard health inspection
No findings
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $36,865 imposed August 18, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of May 2, 2024, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
1 finding
- F610Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 30, 2023
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Severity levels follow the CMS scope and severity grid. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
- 1
Kitchen and Food Safety, Cited in Two Inspections
Inspectors cited F812 in September 2024 and August 2025. This citation covers how food is stored, prepared and served. None rose above level E (no actual harm, potential for more). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2324242525F812 across all 5 inspections, oldest to newest
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
May we see the kitchen, and what do your own sanitation checks look like week to week?
Kitchen and Food Safety: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level E.
- 02
How many nurses and aides are on each shift, including nights and weekends, for the unit we are considering?
No staffing citation appears in this window. Staffing levels are published separately by CMS and are worth asking about directly.
- 03
What led to the 2024 fine, and has it been paid?
A $36,865 civil money penalty was imposed August 18, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the Iowa state survey agency.
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Dec 12, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection May 2, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Sep 12, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Apr 10, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Aug 21, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Penalties, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Provider Information, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 165293
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowDecember 12, 2023 – October 1, 2026
- CMS publishes about three inspection cycles; inspections before December 2023 are not in this release.
- CMS refreshes these files monthly, after statements of deficiencies are processed, so an inspection from the last two months may not appear yet.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Complaints not investigated onsite
- Allegations screened out by the state before an onsite visit are not published.
- Complaint allegations
- CMS publishes the deficiencies a complaint survey cited, not the allegation itself.
- Facility-reported incidents
- Self-reported incidents appear only if they led to an inspection.
- Follow-up visits
- CMS's files list standard, complaint and infection control surveys, not revisits; a correction date is the one CMS records.
- Fire safety inspections
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record yet.
- Staffing levels and ownership history
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record.
- Whether fines were paid
- CMS publishes the fines imposed, not whether or when they were paid.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.