Overview
Northcrest Specialty Care has a Medicare overall rating of 2 out of 5, below the Iowa average of 3.1. It ranks 2nd of 6 nursing homes in Waterloo. It scores best on quality of care (4 of 5) and lowest on health inspections (2 of 5).
Residents receive about 3.5 hours of nursing care per day, fewer than at 73% of nursing homes in Iowa (the state average is 3.9 hours). Of that, 0.6 hours come from registered nurses.
Its most recent standard inspection, on February 12, 2026, found 11 health deficiencies, more than the Iowa average of 6.5. 5 of them came from complaint investigations. It has no fines on record for the past three years, while 37% of Iowa nursing homes have been fined.
Northcrest Specialty Care is a nonprofit facility with 94 certified beds, caring for about 88 residents on an average day. It accepts both Medicare and Medicaid and has participated since 1992.
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 34%
Top 66%
Top 64%
Family reviews
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Inspections and penalties
- Most recent standard inspection
- February 12, 2026
- Health deficiencies cited
- 11
- Complaint-related deficiencies
- 5
- Fines in the last 3 years
- 0
- Payment denials
- 0
- Total penalties
- 0
Staffing
Average hours of care each resident receives per day.
- All nursing staff3.46 hrs
- Registered nurses (RN)0.62 hrs
- Licensed practical nurses (LPN)0.65 hrs
- Nurse aides2.18 hrs
- Physical therapists0.06 hrs
Facility details
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Certified beds
- 94
- Average residents per day
- 88
- Participates in
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Medicare/Medicaid since
- February 1, 1992
- 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