Avera Prince of Peace: Unsafe Discharge Failures - SD
A November 2025 complaint inspection found that the facility's 2024 admission agreement addendum included language requiring residents and their representatives to pre-consent to discharge. The relevant line read: "If we determine that you can be discharged from the Unit, both you and the Resident Representative consent to discharge from the Facility Unit and agree to fully cooperate with the Facility discharge planning staff in conjunction with your discharge."
Residents signing that document on admission day were agreeing to leave before they had any reason to fight the decision.
The problem inspectors identified was the contradiction sitting inside the facility's own records. Avera Prince of Peace's revised June 2024 Long Term Care Transfer and Discharge policy stated the opposite intention: that residents must be informed of an impending discharge and told about their right to appeal it. The policy required 30 days' advance written notice to the resident and their representative, with a copy sent simultaneously to the Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman. It promised the facility would help residents obtain, complete, and submit an appeal form if they asked.
One document promised those rights. The other, signed at the door, had already waived them.
The violation was cited at a level of minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting a small number of residents. But the mechanism it describes is not a paperwork oversight. A resident told on admission that they have agreed in advance to cooperate with discharge has been handed a document that works against the appeal process the facility's own policy claims to protect.
Inspectors did not identify a resident who had been discharged under these circumstances. The admission agreement addendum, however, remained in use through at least the date of the inspection.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Avera Prince of Peace from 2025-11-06 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: August 4, 2026 · Our methodology
AVERA PRINCE OF PEACE in SIOUX FALLS, SD was cited for violations during a health inspection on November 6, 2025.
The problem inspectors identified was the contradiction sitting inside the facility's own records.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.