Buffalo Lake Health Care Center
BUFFALO LAKE HEALTH CARE CENTER in BUFFALO LAKE, MN — inspection on January 8, 2026.
Found 8 citations. Severity: Standard violations.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct within required timeframes. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns and are subject to follow-up verification.
Inspection Findings
of the 10/20/25, Change of Condition-Notification policy identified the facility was to notify the
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
illness was identified and determined, a Level II was to be completed. In addition, the facility was to
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
condition as determined by the licensed nurse.
Residents' condition was to be assessed and reported
send the resident to the ER.
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
Review of the [NAME] checklist identified at meal service; the cook was to serve the meal for the small dining room and then continue to the main dining room.
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
Observation on 1/6/26 at 12:16 p.m., identified Cook-C was serving food from the steam table in the hallway between two dining areas.
The lids were removed from the containers of food.
Cook-C would dish the food, then walk away from the steam table to give it to the residents.
The steam table also had a tray of pastries on the bottom shelf about 5 above the floor without a cover.
All the food on the steam table and the pastries on the bottom shelf remained uncovered for the entire food service.
Interview on 1/6/26 at 10:00 a.m., with the registered dietician identified she has never observed or audited food service at the facility and only does audits upon request of the facility per her contract.
She would expect the DM to complete audits to ensure staff were following good infection prevention practices.
Interview on 1/8/26 at 4:02 p.m., with the administrator in training identified it was her expectation staff would practice infection prevention while serving meals.
They should always wash their hands after touching unclean surfaces and prior to dishing up food.
All food on the steam table should be covered prior to stepping away from the steam table.
She would expect the DM to audit and provide training to staff as needed. A policy regarding infection prevention in the dining room was requested but nothing was provided before the end of the survey period.
Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided.
For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.
LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER TITLE (X6) DATE REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
active implementation and reporting on quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI)
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314
when appropriate.
Antibiotic stewardship actions were to include knowledge of a potential infection,
with antibiotics. McGeer's criteria was to be used to determine if criteria was met to obtain
was to ensure that staff, providers, residents and families received education upon hire on Educare (online education module) and annually through in-services.
Requested copies of R31's documents.
However, none was received during survey window.
with residents or their food, and monitoring and evaluating patterns or outbreaks of illnesses among
reports were to be shared with medical director, staff and practitioners to help identify impact of their
assurance (QA) committee at minimum on a quarterly basis and was to be communicated to the appropriate departments, including sharing active implementation and reporting on quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) projects.
245589 01/08/2026
Buffalo Lake Health Care Center 703 West Yellowstone Trail Buffalo Lake, MN 55314