Nursing HomeInspections

Dubuque Specialty Care

Nursing home in Dubuque, IA

Medicare & Medicaid certified2★ overall (CMS)

Call (563) 556-0673Send a messageMap ↗

Public-record details

Address
2935 Kaufmann Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone
(563) 556-0673
Listed under
Nonprofit
Medicare CCN
165228
Overall star rating
2 of 5 ★★☆☆☆
Health inspection rating
2 of 5
Staffing rating
3 of 5
Quality measures rating
3 of 5
Certified beds
84
Average residents per day
52
Ownership
Nonprofit, corporation
Legal business name
Care Initiatives
Chain
Care Initiatives (43 facilities)
Certified for
Medicare and Medicaid
First approved by Medicare/Medicaid
May 1, 1994
Changed ownership in last 12 months
No
Continuing care retirement community
No
Located inside a hospital
No
Resident or family council
Resident council
Sprinklers in all required areas
Yes

CMS certification number 165228. Source: CMS Nursing Home Provider Information, Health Deficiencies and Penalties (record). Data as of 2026-09-30.

Inspection record

Most recent standard health inspection: Jul 30, 2025. CMS lists 23 health citations for this facility across its last three standard inspection cycles and complaint inspections (Oct 24, 2023 to Jul 30, 2025): 10 from complaint inspections, 2 at the “actual harm” level or higher.

InspectionCitationSeverity
Jul 30, 2025Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Nursing and Physician Services		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.
Quality of Life and Care · complaint inspection		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Pharmacy Service		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Nutrition and Dietary		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Infection Control		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 30, 2025Have a plan that describes the process for conducting QAPI and QAA activities.
Administration		F
Potential for more than minimal harm, widespread
Jul 15, 2024Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Resident Rights		B
Potential for minimal harm, pattern
Jul 15, 2024Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
Resident Rights · complaint inspection		B
Potential for minimal harm, pattern
Jul 15, 2024Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Resident Rights · complaint inspection		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated
Jul 15, 2024Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Resident Rights · complaint inspection		D
Potential for more than minimal harm, isolated

Showing the 12 most recent of 23. Full inspection reports are on Medicare Care Compare.

Severity letters follow CMS's scope-and-severity grid: A–C potential for minimal harm, D–F potential for more than minimal harm, G–I actual harm, J–L immediate jeopardy. Most citations are corrected; a citation is what inspectors found on that date. Source: CMS Health Deficiencies file, processed Aug 1, 2026.

Fines and payment denials

CMS records 1 fine totalling $53,372 and 1 denial of Medicare payment for new admissions in the last three years.

Jul 15, 2024Fine: $53,372
Jul 15, 2024Payment denial for 16 days from Aug 7, 2024

Source: CMS Penalties file, processed Aug 1, 2026. Amounts are as CMS reports them and may reflect later reductions or appeals.

Staffing

Total nurse staffing per resident per day
2.89 hours
Registered nurse (RN) time per resident per day
0.57 hours
Nurse aide time per resident per day
1.79 hours
Total nurse staffing on weekends
2.40 hours
Nursing staff turnover (yearly)
57%
RN turnover (yearly)
71%
Administrators who left in the past year
1

From payroll-based staffing data the facility submits to CMS. Hours are per resident per day.

A citation is what inspectors found on one date; most are corrected within weeks. Look for patterns — the same problem cited in several inspections — and for anything at the G–L level (actual harm or immediate jeopardy). The full inspection narrative (Form CMS-2567) is linked from Medicare Care Compare, and your state long-term care ombudsman can tell you about complaints.

Other nursing homes in Dubuque

Bethany Home1005 Lincoln Avenue · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 556-5233 · Nonprofit1 health citation in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Jun 18, 2026 · no CMS fines in 3 yrsMedicare & Medicaid certified5★ overall (CMS)Ennoble Nursing and Rehab2000 Pasadena Drive · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 557-1076 · For-profit2 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Jun 5, 2025 · no CMS fines in 3 yrsMedicare & Medicaid certified5★ overall (CMS)Mount Carmel Bluffs1160 Carmel Drive · Dubuque, IA 52003 · (563) 556-5474 · For-profit7 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Feb 26, 2026 · no CMS fines in 3 yrsMedicare & Medicaid certified5★ overall (CMS)Stonehill Care Center3485 Windsor Avenue · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 557-7180 · Nonprofit4 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Aug 7, 2025 · no CMS fines in 3 yrsMedicare & Medicaid certified4★ overall (CMS)Sunnycrest Manor2375 Roosevelt Street · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 583-1781 · Government-owned14 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Mar 5, 2026 · no CMS fines in 3 yrsMedicare & Medicaid certified4★ overall (CMS)Harmony Dubuque901 West Third Street · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 556-1161 · For-profit28 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Jan 14, 2026 · $19,371 in CMS fines (3 yrs)Medicare & Medicaid certified2★ overall (CMS)Luther Manor at Hillcrest3131 Hillcrest Road · Dubuque, IA 52001 · (563) 588-1413 · For-profit24 health citations in 3 inspection cycles · last standard inspection Feb 12, 2026 · $42,406 in CMS fines (3 yrs)Medicare & Medicaid certified1★ overall (CMS)

All 8 in Dubuque →