Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II: Discharge Notices - MN
The April 15 inspection revealed a gap between what the facility's written policies require and what actually happens when residents leave. The Director of Nursing told inspectors that providing written discharge notices "was not part of their process."
The violation came to light during the inspection of resident R35's transfer. When inspectors tried calling the resident at 12:45 p.m. on April 14, no one answered.
During a 2:27 p.m. interview that same day, the Director of Nursing acknowledged that facility staff had failed to provide R35 with the required written notice before discharge. She said the notice "was not given on transfer but was verbally reviewed with the resident at a later date."
The Director of Nursing told inspectors she "would expect staff to provide the form to the resident or resident representative on transfer." But when pressed about the facility's actual practices, she revealed a different reality.
On April 15 at 8:21 a.m., the Director of Nursing explained what actually happens when residents are discharged. Staff complete a "recapitulation of the resident's stay" that gets given to the resident and signed at discharge. They also provide a Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage.
But giving a written facility discharge notice as soon as a discharge date is known? "Not part of their process," she said.
The contradiction runs directly counter to the facility's own Discharge and Transfer policy, dated April 1, 2026. That policy explicitly states that "discharge and transfers will comply with federal regulations, including providing the required written notice."
The policy even specifies that the written notice would include applicable appeal rights — protections that residents never received because they never got the notices in the first place.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to provide written discharge notices to protect residents' rights during transfers. These notices inform residents of their options and give them time to prepare for the move or contest it if they believe it's inappropriate.
The inspection classified this as causing "minimal harm or potential for actual harm" and affecting "few" residents. But the systemic nature of the problem — the Director of Nursing's admission that written discharge notices simply aren't part of their standard process — suggests the violation extends beyond just R35.
The facility had updated their discharge policy just two weeks before the inspection, on April 1. Yet even with a fresh policy promising federal compliance, the actual practice remained unchanged.
The Director of Nursing's statements reveal a facility operating with two different standards: the written policy that promises regulatory compliance, and the actual day-to-day operations that skip required protections for departing residents.
When residents transfer from Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II, they get a summary of their stay and Medicare paperwork. What they don't get is the federally mandated written notice that would inform them of their discharge rights and give them proper advance warning.
The inspection found that while staff eventually provided some form of verbal review to R35 after the fact, this falls short of federal requirements that mandate written notices be provided as soon as a discharge date is determined.
For residents and families, the practical impact means less time to prepare for transfers, reduced awareness of appeal rights, and missed opportunities to contest inappropriate discharges. The written notice requirement exists specifically to prevent rushed or improper transfers that can disrupt care continuity.
Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II now faces the task of aligning their actual discharge practices with both federal regulations and their own written policies — a gap that their Director of Nursing openly acknowledged to federal inspectors.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II from 2026-04-15 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: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
WALKER METHODIST WESTWOOD RIDGE II in WEST SAINT PAUL, MN was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 15, 2026.
The April 15 inspection revealed a gap between what the facility's written policies require and what actually happens when residents leave.
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.