Federal nursing home survey record · CMS-certified nursing home· Not a state assisted-living licensing record
APPLETON AREA HEALTH
APPLETON, MN · 47 certified beds · Last Life Safety survey January 29, 2025
CMS Certification Number 245231 · first certified August 1982
Ownership
Independently operated (no chain recorded by CMS) · Government - City
No change of ownership on CMS record since January 1, 2016, when the records begin.
Position within MN
14 citations — more than 59% of the 338 certified nursing homes in MN. Compared within MN rather than nationally because which state a facility is in explains about 30% of the variation in citation counts between facilities, while bed count explains under 1%. State survey agencies differ far more than the buildings do. How this is calculated
The latest survey found 7 citations; the earlier surveys in the window averaged 3.5. With 3 surveys on file this is a direction of travel, not a conclusion.
When is the next survey likely?
Well past the typical window (January 2026 to April 2026), and past the point by which nine in ten MN facilities have been surveyed. This facility’s last Life Safety survey was January 2025. Facilities in MN are typically surveyed 11–14 months after the last one (median 13), measured over 613 consecutive surveys in the last two years of CMS records.
A range the record supports, not a prediction of a date. State agencies vary widely — from about 11 months in Pennsylvania to three years in Maryland. How the window is measured
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3 inspection-and-testing tags have been cited here at more than one survey. Nationally, that pattern is common: about three quarters of cited facilities have at least one repeated tag, and half of the facilities ever cited for sprinkler inspection and testing are cited for it again. A repeat is usually a recordkeeping gap rather than a new hazard.
Physical environment (health survey)
3 physical-environment citations on the health survey. Cited by the health surveyors under Appendix PP, not the Life Safety Code surveyor: equipment in safe operating condition, the call system, bed rails, pest control, hazards, the environment. Counted separately from the 14 Life Safety citations above. The Physical Environment Index
How that compares
Compared with the median facility in MN, and nationally. Surveyors differ markedly between states, so the MN figure is the meaningful one.
| Measure | Citations |
|---|---|
| This facility | 14 |
| Median facility in MN | 12 |
| Median facility nationally | 11 |
Survey history
| Survey date | Citations |
|---|---|
| January 26, 2023 | 5 |
| November 8, 2023 | 2 |
| January 29, 2025 | 7 |
Most-cited tags
| Tag | What the surveyor checks | Times cited | Last cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-0712 | Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times. | 2 | 2023-11-08 |
| K-0345 | Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems. | 2 | 2025-01-29 |
| K-0353 | Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems. | 2 | 2025-01-29 |
| K-0211 | Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency. | 1 | 2025-01-29 |
| K-0923 | Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas. | 1 | 2025-01-29 |
| K-0918 | Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds. | 1 | 2023-01-26 |
| K-0372 | Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating. | 1 | 2025-01-29 |
| K-0901 | Ensure that building systems meet requirements determined by risk assessment procedures performed by qualified personnel. | 1 | 2023-01-26 |
What the citations cover
- Smoke Deficiencies 6
- Miscellaneous Deficiencies 2
- Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies 2
- Egress Deficiencies 2
- Other 2
| Category | Citations |
|---|---|
| Smoke Deficiencies | 6 |
| Miscellaneous Deficiencies | 2 |
| Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies | 2 |
| Egress Deficiencies | 2 |
| Services Deficiencies | 1 |
| Electrical Deficiencies | 1 |
Every citation on file
As published by CMS, newest survey first. Descriptions are CMS’s own wording.
January 29, 2025 — 7 citations
| Tag | What the surveyor checks | Status |
|---|---|---|
| K-0211 | Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (January 31, 2025) |
| K-0223 | Provide exit doors that are held open by devices that will automatically close on the activation of a fire alarm or smoke detector. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (January 31, 2025) |
| K-0345 | Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 20, 2025) |
| K-0353 | Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 7, 2025) |
| K-0363 | Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 7, 2025) |
| K-0372 | Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 7, 2025) |
| K-0923 | Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 7, 2025) |
November 8, 2023 — 2 citations
| Tag | What the surveyor checks | Status |
|---|---|---|
| K-0353 | Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (November 8, 2023) |
| K-0712 | Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (November 8, 2023) |
January 26, 2023 — 5 citations
| Tag | What the surveyor checks | Status |
|---|---|---|
| K-0345 | Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (March 10, 2023) |
| K-0521 | Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 9, 2023) |
| K-0712 | Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (January 25, 2023) |
| K-0901 | Ensure that building systems meet requirements determined by risk assessment procedures performed by qualified personnel. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (January 24, 2023) |
| K-0918 | Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds. | Deficient, Provider has date of correction (February 22, 2023) |
Reflects the CMS posting of August 1, 2026. Surveys conducted in the last few months may not appear yet.