PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE
Inspected within the last 6 months. Data reflects current conditions.
Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen, South Dakota, has received an excellent Trust Grade of A, indicating they are highly recommended and perform well compared to other facilities. They rank #12 out of 95 statewide, placing them in the top half of South Dakota nursing homes, and are the top option out of five in Brown County. The facility is improving, with issues decreasing from four in 2024 to just one in 2025. However, staffing is a concern, with a below-average rating of 2 out of 5 and RN coverage lower than 84% of state facilities, which may impact care. Specific incidents noted include failures in maintaining sanitary conditions in the kitchen and medication administration errors, highlighting areas where improvements are needed despite the overall positive ratings and no fines on record.
- Trust Score
- A
- In South Dakota
- #12/95
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most South Dakota facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- Each resident gets 35 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for South Dakota. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
- Violations ✓ Good
- Only 5 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
The Good
-
5-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
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Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in quality measures, fire safety.
The Bad
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 5 deficiencies on record
Jul 2025
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Staffing Data
(Tag F0851)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) CASPER (Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting) reports, interview, and record review, the provider failed to ensure the PBJ data was submitted accur...
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Oct 2024
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0760
(Tag F0760)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) complaint online report, interviews, record review, and policy review, the p...
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CONCERN
(E)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) complaint report, interview, record review, the provider failed to ensur...
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Mar 2024
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on record review, interview, and policy review, the provider failed to remove outdated code status information (emergent treatment a resident would or would not receive if the heart or breathing...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the provider failed to:
*Maintain clean and sanitary conditions of appliances and utensils in one of one kitchen:
-Convection oven.
-Flattop griddle...
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade A (90/100). Above average facility, better than most options in South Dakota.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most South Dakota facilities.
- • Only 5 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Prairie Heights Healthcare's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within South Dakota, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Prairie Heights Healthcare Staffed?
CMS rates PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE's staffing level at 2 out of 5 stars, which is below average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at Prairie Heights Healthcare?
State health inspectors documented 5 deficiencies at PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE during 2024 to 2025. These included: 5 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Prairie Heights Healthcare?
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by EDURO HEALTHCARE, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 99 certified beds and approximately 61 residents (about 62% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in ABERDEEN, South Dakota.
How Does Prairie Heights Healthcare Compare to Other South Dakota Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in South Dakota, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 2.7 and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Prairie Heights Healthcare?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can you walk me through typical staffing levels on day, evening, and night shifts?" "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?" These questions are particularly relevant given the below-average staffing rating.
Is Prairie Heights Healthcare Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in South Dakota. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Prairie Heights Healthcare Stick Around?
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.
Was Prairie Heights Healthcare Ever Fined?
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Prairie Heights Healthcare on Any Federal Watch List?
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS HEALTHCARE is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.