Lakewood Health System
401 Prairie Avenue Northeast, Staples, MN 56479 · Todd County · 87 certified beds · avg 82 residents/day · certified since Feb 1, 1987
What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)
Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · CMS overall rating: 5/5
The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.
Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)
▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jul 17, 2024 · F-0684 · triggered by a complaint
The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Why it matters: Care that strays from doctor's orders or ignores the resident's wishes can lead to declining health and avoidable harm.
Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Corrected: Jul 5, 2024 (Past Non-Compliance)
All citations in the current public record (8)
CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.
| Date | Severity | What the facility was cited for |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate. |
| Feb 19, 2026 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own. |
| Jul 17, 2024 | ▲ G · Actual harm, one-off | The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint |
| Nov 8, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not give residents reasonable access to and privacy in using ways to communicate, such as phones, mail, and email. Residents have the right to stay in touch with the outside world privately. |
| Nov 8, 2023 | E · Potential for harm, repeated | The facility did not honor residents' right to voice complaints without discrimination or retaliation, or did not have a working complaint process that resolves issues promptly. |
| Nov 8, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not give residents (and their representatives and the ombudsman, a state advocate for residents) proper advance notice before a transfer or discharge, including information about their right to appeal. |
| Nov 8, 2023 | C · Minimal risk, facility-wide | The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. These written safeguards are the foundation of resident protection. · from a complaint |
| Aug 11, 2023 | D · Potential for harm, one-off | The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it. · from a complaint |
Inspection trend by year
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | E |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | G ▲ |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | D |
Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.
Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)
No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.
Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)
| Measure | This facility | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 4.99 | 4.83 | 3.95 | top 40% in Minnesota; top 13% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 0.93 | 1.22 | 0.69 | bottom 26% in Minnesota; top 19% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 4.39 | 4.27 | 3.50 | top 41% in Minnesota; top 14% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.43 | 0.69 | 0.48 | bottom 25% in Minnesota; top 43% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 34.3 | 42.2 | 45.8 | top 33% in Minnesota; top 22% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 36.8 | 38.6 | 42.9 | bottom 48% in Minnesota; top 41% in the U.S. |
Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 4.41, RN 0.82, weekend 3.88. Staffing rating: 5/5.
Self-reported quality measures
Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.
Quality measures rating: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 4/5
Who owns this facility
Non profit - Corporation
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albrecht, Christine | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2020 |
| Anderson, Brad | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/13/2014 |
| Bauman, Alicia | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/09/2022 |
| Bjerga, Judith | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2007 |
| Bjerga, Lisa | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 03/07/2016 |
| Bjerga, Lisa | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 03/07/2016 |
| Brichacek, Amy | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2021 |
| Cichos, Jef | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2016 |
| Daniels, Melissa | Individual | W-2 Managing Employee | NOT APPLICABLE | 09/15/2016 |
| Dobson, Kathleen | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 12/01/2014 |
| Grove, Sara | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/24/2014 |
| Haehnel, Billy | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/01/2015 |
| Hansen, Lana | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2008 |
| Hoemberg, Beverly | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/01/2011 |
| Jordahl, Stephanie | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2021 |
| Krause, Norman | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2018 |
| Kray, Ryan | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/01/2021 |
| Leveille, Lindsay | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2023 |
| Lindow, Melissa | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 08/27/2023 |
| McIlravy, Curtis | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 07/01/2014 |
Questions to ask on your visit
Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.
- "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
- "If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
- "How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
- "How can my family member make private phone or video calls, and can we see where?"
- "Walk me through what happens when a resident or family files a grievance — who responds and how fast?"
- "If you ever planned to discharge or transfer my family member, how much written notice would we receive and how could we appeal?"
- "What specific steps do you take to prevent abuse and neglect, and how are staff trained on them?"
- "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
- "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
- "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"
Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)
| Facility | Distance | City | Overall | Inspection | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Oaks Lodge | 15.8 mi | Wadena, MN | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| Central Todd County Care Center | 19.8 mi | Clarissa, MN | ★★★★★ | 4/5 |
Compare this facility with the 2 closest →
Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 245420.