Overview
Birchwood Health Care Center has a Medicare overall rating of 1 out of 5, below the Minnesota average of 3.2. It is the only Medicare-rated nursing home in Forest Lake. It scores best on quality of care (4 of 5) and lowest on health inspections (1 of 5).
Residents receive about 3.6 hours of nursing care per day, fewer than at 83% of nursing homes in Minnesota (the state average is 4.3 hours). Of that, 0.9 hours come from registered nurses.
Its most recent standard inspection, on June 12, 2026, found 11 health deficiencies, more than the Minnesota average of 7.0. 4 of them came from complaint investigations. Medicare records 4 fines totaling $139,646 in the past three years.
Birchwood Health Care Center is a nonprofit facility with 100 certified beds, caring for about 79 residents on an average day. It accepts both Medicare and Medicaid and has participated since 1974.
Medicare ratings
- Health inspections
- Quality of care
- Staffing
Source: Medicare Care Compare, data as of October 1, 2026.
How it compares nearby
Ranked by Medicare overall rating, then quality, inspection and staffing ratings.
Top 86%
Top 83%
Family reviews
No reviews yet. If your family has experience with Birchwood Health Care Center, your review helps others decide.
Inspections and penalties
- Most recent standard inspection
- June 12, 2026
- Health deficiencies cited
- 11
- Complaint-related deficiencies
- 4
- Fines in the last 3 years
- 4 totaling $139,646
- Payment denials
- 1
- Total penalties
- 5
Staffing
Average hours of care each resident receives per day.
- All nursing staff3.56 hrs
- Registered nurses (RN)0.94 hrs
- Licensed practical nurses (LPN)0.73 hrs
- Nurse aides1.88 hrs
- Physical therapists0.05 hrs
Facility details
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Certified beds
- 100
- Average residents per day
- 79
- Participates in
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Medicare/Medicaid since
- December 1, 1974
- Inside a hospital
- No
- Continuing care retirement community
- No
- Changed ownership in last 12 months
- No
- Resident or family council
- Resident
- Sprinklers in all required areas
- Yes