Birchwood Health Care Center
604 1st Street NE, Forest Lake, MN 55025
Birchwood Health Care Center, a 100-bed non profit - corporation nursing facility in Forest Lake, MN, holds a 2-star CMS overall rating - below the 3.0-star national average, ranking #218 of 336 rated homes in MN on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing below the national norm. 4 inspection findings reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
CMS combines health inspections, nurse-staffing levels, and clinical quality measures into the overall star rating, read the components below; they often tell a sharper story than the headline.
Phone: 6514645600
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- 2 / 5
- Below average · CMS overall · nat'l 3.0
- #218 of 336
- In-state rank among rated MN homes
- 3.86
- About average · nurse hrs/day · nat'l 3.86
- 39
- Inspection findings · 4 serious
If a nursing-home resident is in immediate danger, call 911.
For elder abuse or neglect concerns, contact your state's Adult Protective Services (search "APS" + your state) or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. For facility advocacy, reach your Long-Term Care Ombudsman. CMS ratings and inspection data below are a research screen, not an emergency channel.
The verdict
Birchwood Health Care Center, a 100-bed non profit - corporation nursing facility in Forest Lake, MN, holds a 2-star CMS overall rating - below the 3.0-star national average, ranking #218 of 336 rated homes in MN on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing below the national norm. 4 inspection findings reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
- 2 / 5
- CMS overall · national 3.0
- #218 of 336
- In-state rank among rated MN homes
- 3.86
- Nurse hrs/resident-day · national 3.86
- 39
- Inspection findings · 4 serious
CMS force-curves overall stars within each state; read health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings alongside the headline.
In-state ownership mix · peer inventory
How 338 MN nursing homes split by ownership sector
This facility is recorded as Non profit - Corporation. Sector buckets collapse CMS ownership_type into For-profit, Nonprofit, and Government, orthogonal to the RN/LPN/CNA hour bar below.
Health Inspection
Staffing
Quality Measures
Long-Stay Quality
Facility Information
- Provider Number
- 245200
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Provider Type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Beds
- 100
- Residents
- 84
- In Hospital
- No
- County
- Washington
- Last Inspection
- Jun 12, 2026
Staffing Data
How the 3.86 total nursing hours per resident-day are staffed:
- RN Hours
- 0.78 (nat'l avg: 0.69)
- LPN Hours
- 0.99
- CNA Hours
- 2.08
- Total Nursing Hours
- 3.86 (nat'l avg: 3.86)
- PT Hours
- 0.02
- Nursing Turnover
- 37.7%
- RN Turnover
- 50.0%
What the CMS Record Reveals About Birchwood Health Care Center
According to CMS Nursing Home Compare, Birchwood Health Care Center ranks #218 of 336 rated nursing homes in MN on overall stars (tie-broken by health+staffing+quality, then fewer fines). Birchwood Health Care Center operates 100 certified beds in Forest Lake, MN with approximately 84 residents currently in care, and carries a CMS overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars (health inspection 1★ · staffing 4★ · quality 5★).
The inspection file contains 39 deficiency records from recent surveys, of which 4 reached the actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy threshold on the CMS scope-and-severity grid. On the enforcement side, CMS has assessed 3 penalties totaling $49K against this provider. Reported nurse staffing runs 3.86 total hours per resident day (national average 3.86); RN hours specifically are 0.78 per resident day.
Classified as "Non profit - Corporation" ownership and operating as a "Medicare and Medicaid" provider, Birchwood Health Care Center falls into a category where comparative context matters. Reported nursing staff turnover at this facility is 37.7% (CMS payroll-based measure).
Why sub-scores and the CMS methodology matter
The overall score is a composite of three weighted sub-ratings published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: health inspection results, staffing levels, and quality measures. Because CMS caps the overall score at the health-inspection tier and then adjusts up or down based on staffing and quality, the sub-scores often tell a sharper story than the headline star count alone, a 3-star facility with weak inspection history reads differently from one held back by thin staffing.
National research consistently shows that ownership structure, staffing hours, and turnover are the three operational levers that correlate most strongly with resident outcomes, ratings and fines are lagging indicators of those upstream choices. The staffing metric in particular is the one most strongly tied to resident outcomes in peer-reviewed literature.
For families evaluating this facility, the CMS record should be read alongside a site visit, direct conversation with current residents and their families, and review of the state health department's most recent inspection report, the star rating is a starting point, not a verdict. All data on this page is sourced from CMS Provider Data and the Nursing Home Compare program; always verify the same record on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state survey agency before making placement decisions.
Deficiency History (39 most recent)
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 28, 2026
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 11, 2026
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 11, 2026
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Jan 23, 2026
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jan 9, 2026
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Nov 9, 2025
Implement a program that monitors antibiotic use.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: May 27, 2025
Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.
Category: Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Corrected: May 27, 2025
Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: May 27, 2025
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: May 27, 2025
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: May 27, 2025
Post nurse staffing information every day.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Category: Administration Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 11, 2024
Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 3, 2024
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Category: Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Corrected: Dec 27, 2023
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Category: Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 27, 2023
Quality Measures
| Measure | Type | Score | Used in Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 12.3% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.4% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 0.4% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 2.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 13.7% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 2.6% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 12.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 1.3% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight | Long Stay | 5.7% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms | Long Stay | 9.4% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained | Long Stay | 0.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Long Stay | 100.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication | Long Stay | 9.8% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Long Stay | 98.1% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence | Long Stay | 28.6% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Short Stay | 98.2% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Short Stay | 88.7% | No |
Penalty History 3 penalties totaling $49K
| Date | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2025 | Fine | $10K |
| Feb 9, 2024 | Fine | $29K |
| Jan 4, 2024 | Fine | $9K |
Nationwide facilities with similar scale or staffing
Two data-derived peer sets for Birchwood Health Care Center, both outside MN so the neighborhoods are not the same-state geography list below.
Similar bed count
Nearest CMS certified bed counts outside MN (100 beds here).
Similar staffing hours
Nearest CMS adjusted total nurse hours per resident day outside MN (3.97 here).
Nearby Nursing Homes in MN
337 other nursing homes are on record in MN; 6 are shown here.
Understanding Nursing Home Data
What the CMS records show for Birchwood Health Care Center
The health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings above often diverge from the CMS overall headline. Use those components and the inspection findings to read the full file, not the overall star alone.
- The MN registry aggregates state averages and the highest-rated homes in this cohort. View MN registry
- Peer homes near 100 beds show how CMS stars vary at a similar scale in MN. Compare a similar-size peer
- CMS publishes separate fields for inspections, nurse staffing hours, and quality measures; the guide explains how each star is computed. How CMS ratings work
CMS refreshes Nursing Home Compare quarterly (current extract: August 2026). PlainNursing describes published records; it does not establish suitability, availability, admissions, or individual outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall CMS rating for Birchwood Health Care Center?
Where does Birchwood Health Care Center rank among nursing homes in MN?
What are the staffing levels at Birchwood Health Care Center?
How many beds does Birchwood Health Care Center have?
Does Birchwood Health Care Center have any deficiencies on record?
Has Birchwood Health Care Center received any fines or penalties?
Who owns Birchwood Health Care Center?
When was Birchwood Health Care Center last inspected?
What quality measures are tracked for Birchwood Health Care Center?
Data Sources
Data source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Ratings, staffing, deficiency, quality measure, and penalty data are from CMS Provider Data. For informational purposes only. Verify the same CCN on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state health department.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
