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Pioneer Care Center
1131 South Mabelle Avenue, Fergus Falls, MN 56537 (opens Google Maps) · Otter Tail County · (218) 998-1500· 105 certified beds · avg 91 residents/day · certified since Apr 11, 1987 · Medicare and Medicaid certified
Certified for both programmes. Certification means the facility can bill Medicaid — it does not mean a Medicaid-funded bed is free right now, so ask directly. Who pays for nursing home care →
4/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
inspected Jun 3, 2026
0
Serious findings on record
$0
Fines, last 3 years
4.61
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)
Every record stays on this page.
What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)
New to these records? How to read an inspection report →
Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · CMS overall rating: 5/5 · how star ratings work →
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 quality measures from resident assessments and claims.
Inspection findings in the public record
Showing the latest 3 of 16 inspection findings. Open the full record below to read every finding.
The facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock. F-0761
The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. F-0812
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. F-0554
View all 16 inspection findingsShow only the latest 3 findings
CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed — that window is CMS's, not ours. Within it, every citation CMS publishes for this facility is listed here: none excluded.
| Date | Severity | What the facility was cited for |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2025 | E · Potential for more than minimal harm, pattern | The facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock. · F-0761 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | E · Potential for more than minimal harm, pattern | The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards. · F-0812 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | 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. · F-0554 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility used physical restraints — devices that limit a resident's movement — when they weren't needed for medical treatment. · F-0604 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives. · F-0641 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not provide the care needed to maintain or improve residents' movement and flexibility — such as range-of-motion exercises — leading to avoidable decline. · F-0688 |
| Aug 6, 2025 | C · Potential for minimal harm, widespread | The facility did not post its nurse staffing information every day. Nursing homes must publicly display how many nurses and aides are on duty each day. · F-0732 |
| May 27, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away. · from a complaint · F-0580 |
| May 27, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do. · from a complaint · F-0610 |
| May 27, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | 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 · F-0684 |
| May 16, 2025 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint · F-0689 |
| Jul 24, 2024 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | 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. · F-0554 |
| Jul 24, 2024 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility allowed residents to lose the ability to do daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and eating — when there was no medical reason for the decline. Good care helps residents keep the abilities they have. · F-0676 |
| Jul 24, 2024 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving. · F-0686 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication. · from a complaint · F-0760 |
| Sep 13, 2023 | D · Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated | 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. · from a complaint · F-0677 |
Inspection trend by year
All citationsSerious citations (G–L)
2023
All citations: 1
Serious citations (G–L): 0
2024
All citations: 4
Serious citations (G–L): 0
2025
All citations: 11
Serious citations (G–L): 0
All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.
| Year | Citations | Serious (G–L) | Worst severity that year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | D |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | D |
| 2025 | 11 | 0 | E |
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)
Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)
What these staffing numbers mean →
This facilityMinnesota averageU.S. average
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)
This facility: 4.61
Minnesota average: 4.83
U.S. average: 3.95
Registered Nurse hours
This facility: 1.06
Minnesota average: 1.22
U.S. average: 0.69
Weekend total nurse staffing
This facility: 4.18
Minnesota average: 4.27
U.S. average: 3.50
All bars start at zero. Exact values and supporting details remain below.
| Measure | This facility | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day) | 4.61 | 4.83 | 3.95 | bottom 43% in Minnesota; top 20% in the U.S. |
| Registered Nurse hours | 1.06 | 1.22 | 0.69 | bottom 41% in Minnesota; top 13% in the U.S. |
| Weekend total nurse staffing | 4.18 | 4.27 | 3.50 | top 50% in Minnesota; top 18% in the U.S. |
| Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted) | 0.60 | 0.69 | 0.48 | top 49% in Minnesota; top 23% in the U.S. |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 32.7 | 42.2 | 45.8 | top 29% in Minnesota; top 19% in the U.S. |
| RN turnover (%) | 21.1 | 38.6 | 42.9 | top 20% in Minnesota; top 16% in the U.S. |
Hours are per resident per day for the most recent quarter of payroll data in this CMS release (2026-08-01) — the same quarter for every facility — 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 4.55, RN 1.04, weekend 4.13.Comparing with Medicare Care Compare? Care Compare shows the raw figure (4.55 here, displayed there as hours and minutes), not the adjusted one above. Both are correct; they answer different questions. Staffing rating: 5/5.
Quality measures: assessments & claims
Note: CMS combines facility-reported resident assessments (MDS) with claims-based measures. These are different sources from on-site inspection findings. Read the measures alongside inspection and staffing records; a high QM rating does not establish that a home is safe.
Quality measures rating: 4/5 · long-stay residents: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 4/5
Costs & payment
Price evidence · separate from quality
No verified facility-specific private-pay price is available in our data for Pioneer Care Center. CMS inspection and staffing records do not tell us what this home will charge you.
Calculate a stay from a quote you receive
Use a written private-pay quote. This worksheet adds only the amounts you enter; it does not calculate Medicare, Medicaid or insurance benefits.
Formula: (room rate + daily extras) × days + one-time charges. A 30-day scenario is not a calendar-month quote. Refundable deposits, rate changes and charges you omit are not automatically included. Entries are not saved or sent to our server.
Before you compare prices
- Request the room type, effective date and itemized daily rate in writing.
- Ask about therapy, medicines, supplies, care-level charges, deposits, refunds and annual increases.
- Confirm insurance or Medicaid eligibility and bed availability directly; certification alone does not guarantee either.
Understand who pays for care · How we handle price evidence · Report an incorrect price
Who owns this facility
How to read ownership records →
Ownership records as published by CMS on 2026-08-01. CMS records when an owner joined but not when they left. Listed here and no longer involved? Tell us →
Non profit - Corporation
| Owner / manager | Type | Role | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ackerson, Jeff | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2018 |
| Ackerson, Jeff | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2018 |
| Aegis Therapies, INC. | Organization | ADP of the SNF | NOT APPLICABLE | 06/01/2021 |
| Brenna, Lowell | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2021 |
| Brenna, Lowell | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2021 |
| Bushinger, Brad | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 01/02/1996 |
| Demuth, Suzanne | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2020 |
| Demuth, Suzanne | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2020 |
| Ellig, Joe | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2020 |
| Ellig, Joe | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2020 |
| Freeman, Janet | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2019 |
| Freeman, Janet | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2019 |
| Hocum, April | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 12/01/2025 |
| Hunter, Katie | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 10/24/2012 |
| Johnson, Kari | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2025 |
| Johnson, Kari | Individual | Corporate Officer | NOT APPLICABLE | 04/01/2025 |
| Johnson, Nathan | Individual | Managing Control - Governing Body | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/03/2009 |
| Johnson, Nathan | Individual | Corporate Director | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/03/2009 |
| Johnson, Nathan | Individual | Operational/Managerial Control | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/03/2009 |
| Johnson, Nathan | Individual | ADP of the SNF | NOT APPLICABLE | 11/03/2009 |
Showing 20 of 41 parties CMS has on file for this facility; 21 are not displayed. The full list is in the CMS Ownership dataset.
Questions to ask on your visit
Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.
- "Can you show me how medications are stored and secured on the units, including controlled drugs?"
- "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
- "If my family member is able to manage their own medications, would you allow it, and how is that decided?"
- "What is your policy on physical restraints, and what alternatives do you try first?"
- "Who completes resident assessments here, and how do you check them for accuracy?"
- "What do you do daily to keep residents moving, and how do you help residents at risk of losing mobility?"
- "Where do you post your daily staffing numbers, and can I see today's?"
- "If my family member falls or their condition changes, exactly when and how will I be notified?"
Also worth asking anywhere
- "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
- "Can I see the plan of correction for the findings in your most recent state inspection?"
- "CMS reports 33% total nursing staff turnover here — who on the care team has been with you longest?"
- "The ownership record on file lists 41 owning or managing parties — who makes the decisions about staffing levels?"
- "Can I visit again unannounced, at a mealtime or on a weekend?"
Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)
| Facility | Distance | City | Overall | Inspection | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB Broen Home | 0.3 mi | Fergus Falls, MN | ★★☆☆☆ | 2/5 | |
| MN Veterans Home-Fergus Falls | 2.1 mi | Fergus Falls, MN | ★★★★☆ | 2/5 | abuse |
| Good Samaritan Society - Battle Lake | 16.4 mi | Battle Lake, MN | ★★★★★ | 5/5 |
Compare this facility with the 3 closest →
Other facilities in the same county
CMS records place this facility in Otter Tail, MN — 7 certified facilities there. These are outside the 20-mile list above, or far enough down it not to appear.
- St Williams Living Center — Parkers Prairie, MN · overall 5/5
- Pelican Valley Health Center — Pelican Rapids, MN · overall 5/5
- Perham Living — Perham, MN · overall 5/5
Listed by facility name — not a ranking. Homes already in the table above are not repeated here.
Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 245463.