Sanford Care Center Vermillion, Vermillion, SD

The Essentials

Summary

Across 4 inspections from July 2023 to January 2026, state surveyors documented 11 findings at Sanford Care Center Vermillion; 11 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 2 enforcement actions in the window.

Inspections: 4; 2023–2026, complaint and standard
Findings: 11; Deficiencies cited by state inspectors
Corrected: 11; Of 11 findings, with a recorded correction date
Penalties: 2; 2 fines; payment not published

Findings by Year

Findings
Of which, actual harm (level G or above)

* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.

Findings by year
Year	Inspections	Findings	Of which, actual harm (level G or above)
2023	1	0	0
2024	1	7	2
2025	1	2	0
2026	1	2	1

What the Record Shows

11 of 11 findings have a recorded correction date.
CMS lists 2 enforcement actions in the window: 2 fines totaling $58,837, their payment not published.
2 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
The latest standard inspection, October 2, 2025, recorded 2 findings (most serious: Level E).

What to Ask About

Accident Hazards and Supervision, Cited in Two Inspections
Kitchen and Food Safety, Cited in Two Inspections

Report at a Glance

Facility: Sanford Care Center Vermillion
Address: 125 S Walker Street, Vermillion, SD 57069
CMS Certification Number: 43A098
Provider Type: Nursing facility
Certified Beds: 66
Ownership: Non profit - Corporation
Record Window: July 27, 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.

Jan 292026
Complaint investigation
2 findings
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Level GActual harmCorrected Feb 26, 2026
- 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 Feb 26, 2026
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Oct 22025
Standard health inspection
2 findings
- 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 Nov 16, 2025
- F677Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 16, 2025
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $14,260 imposed January 29, 2026. 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 October 2, 2025, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Jul 12024
Standard health inspection
7 findings
The same visit included a complaint investigation.
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Level JImmediate jeopardyCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.Level GActual harmCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F838Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.Level FNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F578Honor 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.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jul 31, 2024
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Jul 31, 2024
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $44,577 imposed July 1, 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 July 1, 2024, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Jul 272023
Standard health inspection
No findings
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
Accident Hazards and Supervision, Cited in Two Inspections
Inspectors cited F689 in July 2024 and January 2026. This citation covers whether residents are protected from accident hazards and supervised closely enough to prevent accidents, including falls. The most serious of these was recorded at level J (immediate jeopardy). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
23242526F689 across all 4 inspections, oldest to newest
2
Kitchen and Food Safety, Cited in Two Inspections
Inspectors cited F812 in July 2024 and October 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.
23242526F812 across all 4 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
What changed in fall prevention and supervision after the last citation, and how do you check that it is still working?
Accident Hazards and Supervision: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level J.
02
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.
03
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.
04
What led to the 2026 fine, and has it been paid?
A $14,260 civil money penalty was imposed January 29, 2026. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. The record holds two enforcement actions in the window.

The Evidence

Sources and Coverage

Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the South Dakota state survey agency.

Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
South Dakota state survey agency
Inspection Jul 27, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
South Dakota state survey agency
Inspection Jul 1, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
South Dakota state survey agency
Inspection Oct 2, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
South Dakota state survey agency
Inspection Jan 29, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Penalties, Provider Data Catalog
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
View Dataset ↗
Provider Information, Provider Data Catalog
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 43A098
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
View Dataset ↗

Coverage

Record windowJuly 27, 2023 – October 1, 2026

CMS publishes about three inspection cycles; inspections before July 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.