Buena Vista County Public Health and Home Care
Home health agency in Storm Lake, Iowa
Quality of care
Patient survey
How patients did
Compared with the average Iowa agency. The dot is this agency; the grey tick is the state average.
Care started on timeBelow average
92.1%Share of patients whose first visit happened on the date the doctor ordered, or within 2 days of the referral or of coming home from the hospital when no date was ordered.
State average 97.0% · U.S. average 96.5% · 58 of 63 patients
Patients got better at walkingBelow average
72.0%Share of patients who could walk or move around more easily by the end of care.
State average 88.2% · U.S. average 88.6% · 17 of 36 patients
Falls with major injury· lower is betterAbout average
1.6%Share of patients who had a fall that caused a broken bone, head injury or similar during care. Lower is better.
State average 1.6% · U.S. average 0.9% · 1 of 63 patients
Patients sent home to the community
Share of patients who went home or to the community after home health and stayed out of a facility, adjusted for how sick patients were.
67.4%likely between 55.4% and 75.3%
National rate 77.7% (dashed line)
Preventable hospital stays during care· lower is better
Share of home health stays with a hospital or observation stay for a problem good care might have prevented, adjusted for how sick patients were. Lower is better.
8.8%likely between 4.8% and 17.8%
National rate 10.8% (dashed line)
See all 17 measuresShow fewer
Checked on flu shotBelow average
59.5%Share of patients who were determined to have received the flu shot for the current flu season, from the agency or elsewhere.
State average 69.2% · U.S. average 64.2% · 25 of 42 patients
Got better at getting in and out of bedBelow average
56.9%Share of patients who needed less help getting in and out of bed by the end of care.
State average 89.7% · U.S. average 89.7% · 12 of 30 patients
Got better at bathingBelow average
65.5%Share of patients who needed less help washing themselves by the end of care.
State average 90.3% · U.S. average 90.6% · 21 of 42 patients
Less short of breathBelow average
77.4%Share of patients who were less short of breath by the end of care.
State average 90.1% · U.S. average 91.3% · 18 of 31 patients
Got better at taking medicinesBelow average
36.6%Share of patients who could take their medicines correctly on their own by the end of care.
State average 88.3% · U.S. average 88.1% · 3 of 20 patients
Pressure ulcers that got worse or appeared· lower is betterBetter than average
0.0%Share of patients who developed a new or worsened pressure ulcer during care. Lower is better.
State average 0.3% · U.S. average 0.2% · 0 of 49 patients
Medication problems acted on in timeBelow average
90.5%Share of patients whose medications were reviewed at the start of care and, each time a medication problem was found, the doctor-recommended action was completed with timely follow-up.
State average 96.8% · U.S. average 94.5% · 57 of 63 patients
Met expected function at dischargeAbout average
81.6%Share of patients whose ability to move and care for themselves at discharge met or beat what was expected for them.
State average 81.5% · U.S. average 71.7% · 40 of 49 patients
Medication list sent to the next provider
—Share of patients whose current medication list was sent in a timely way to the next doctor or facility at transfer or discharge.
The number of patient episodes for this measure is too small to report.
Medication list given to the patientBelow average
87.0%Share of patients given their current medication list in a timely way when discharged to a home or similar setting.
State average 95.6% · U.S. average 92.2% · 40 of 46 patients
Preventable readmission within 30 days· lower is better
Share of patients readmitted to a hospital within 30 days of leaving home health for a problem good care might have prevented, adjusted for how sick patients were. Lower is better.
4.1%likely between 2.9% and 5.8%
National rate 4.1% (dashed line)
Medicare spending per episode
A ratio to the national average (1.00). Lower means less spending.
0.86
14% below the national average
What patients said
71% would definitely recommend this agency, from 25 patient surveys.
State average 81% · U.S. average 79% · 32% response rate. Based on fewer than 100 surveys, so this rating could move with a few more.
- Care was professional
- Not rated yet
- Team communicated well
- Not rated yet
- Discussed medicines, pain and safety
- Not rated yet
- Rated the agency 9 or 10
- Not rated yet
Fewer than 70 patients completed the survey. Use the scores shown, if any, with caution as the number of surveys may be too low to accurately tell how an agency is doing.
Medicare payment
Cohort
Smaller-volume
Total performance score
43.9 of 100
Cohort average 37.0
Payment adjustment
+1.1%
Payment year 2026
How it's calculatedHide how it's calculated
- Potentially preventable hospitalization7.4 pts37.5% weight
Achievement 7.4 · Improvement 0.0 · the higher one counts
- Discharge to community0.0 pts10% weight
Achievement 0.0 · Improvement 0.0 · the higher one counts
- Improvement in dyspnea3.5 pts10% weight
Achievement 2.5 · Improvement 3.5 · the higher one counts
- Improvement in oral medications— pts0% weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
- Improvement in mobility3.6 pts15% weight
Achievement 3.6 · Improvement 0.4 · the higher one counts
- Improvement in self-care4.8 pts15% weight
Achievement 4.8 · Improvement 2.2 · the higher one counts
- ED use0.0 pts12.5% weight
Achievement 0.0 · Improvement 0.0 · the higher one counts
- Care of patients— pts— weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
- Communication— pts— weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
- Specific care issues— pts— weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
- Overall rating— pts— weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
- Willingness to recommend— pts— weight
Achievement — · Improvement — · the higher one counts
Each measure earns the higher of its achievement or improvement points. Points are weighted and summed into the total performance score.
About the agency
- Services
- Nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, home health aide
- Ownership
- Government
- Certified
- Since 1976
- Address
- 1709 East Richland Street, Storm Lake, IA 50588
- ZIP codes served
- 50510, 50540, 50565, 50568, 50576, 50585, 50588, 51002, 51003, 51033