82.5/100
Above average
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center
703 West Yellowstone Trail, Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
- Certified beds
- 49
- Occupancy
- 92%
- Ownership
- Non-profit
- Accepts
- Medicare + Medicaid
Our read on Buffalo Lake Health Care Center
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center runs on 4.60 nurse hours per resident day, roughly 19% above the national average, a real cushion, though weekends dip about 15% below its own weekday pace. Staff turnover sits at 42.6%, slightly better than the 45.8% national figure. The trade-off shows up in quality measures, which score low, and in a record of 13 deficiencies, including one tied to abuse; none rose to the level of actual harm or jeopardy. Inspectors were last on site in January 2026. This is a nonprofit corporation with 49 certified beds, small enough that staffing depth matters more than at a larger campus.
Written from the CMS figures for this home shown further down this page. Nothing here is paid for or supplied by the home.
How this grade was calculated
Every point is shown. Nothing is weighted behind the scenes, the full formula is on How we grade.
A full pentagon is full marks. The shape shows what kind of good or bad a home is, two homes can share a score and look nothing alike.
Inspection safety
30/30Citations from state health inspections over the last three surveys, weighted by how much harm CMS says they caused.
- →No citations recorded in the last 3 years
Staffing
25.5/30Nursing hours per resident per day, adjusted for how sick the residents are, plus RN cover and weekend consistency.
- →5.25 total nurse hours per resident per day (national median 3.77)
- →0.76 RN hours per resident per day
- →Weekend staffing drops 15% against weekdays
Staff stability
12/15How much of the nursing team leaves in a year. High turnover means a resident rarely sees the same face twice.
- →43% of nursing staff left in the last year
Resident outcomes
5/15The CMS quality-measure rating, built from resident outcomes like falls, pressure ulcers, infections and antipsychotic use.
- →2 of 5 stars on the CMS quality-measure rating
Enforcement history
10/10Fines and payment denials CMS has imposed. A denial of payment means CMS stopped paying for new admissions.
- →No federal fines on record
Staffing, against the national average
Full detailHours of nursing care each resident receives per day. The marker on each bar is the national average.
RNs are the licence level most likely to catch a resident deteriorating.
The shift most families visit, and the one thinned first.
The share of nursing staff who left over the last year.
Recent inspection findings
Last standard health inspection: January 8, 2026 (9 months ago). No citations were recorded.
No health-inspection citations on record for this facility in the current CMS release.
What families say
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Common questions about Buffalo Lake Health Care Center
What is the ElderGrade for Buffalo Lake Health Care Center? +
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center holds an ElderGrade of B (82.5 out of 100), which we describe as "above average". The grade combines its inspection citations, nurse staffing levels, staff turnover, resident outcomes and enforcement history from the federal CMS record.
How many nursing hours does each resident get at Buffalo Lake Health Care Center? +
Residents receive an average of 4.60 nursing hours per day across all nursing staff, against a national average of 3.86 hours.
Has Buffalo Lake Health Care Center been cited for harming residents? +
No. None of the 0 citations on record were scored at the levels CMS uses to indicate actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
Does Buffalo Lake Health Care Center accept Medicaid? +
Yes, Buffalo Lake Health Care Center is certified to accept Medicaid, which is the programme that pays for long-term custodial care once a resident meets their state's income and asset limits.
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