3/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
3/5
CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is the federal agency that rates nursing home quality. Its Overall Rating runs from 1 to 5 stars, combining health inspections, staffing, and quality measures, with inspections weighted most heavily.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility is an 84-bed skilled nursing community at 640 W Ellsworth St in Columbia City, Indiana, providing skilled nursing, memory care, short-term rehabilitation, and respite care to residents in Whitley County. The facility is operated by The Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility LLC and accepts Medicare and Medicaid.
CMS rates the facility 3 stars overall. The staffing and quality measures sub-ratings both perform above the Indiana average — staffing roughly 18% higher and quality measures roughly 24% higher — while the health inspection sub-rating falls about 27% below the state benchmark, which accounts for the mid-range overall score.
The inspection record over the past four years has one significant finding: a February 2024 complaint investigation identified an immediate jeopardy situation after a medication error led to the death of a resident. The IJ designation was removed within a week following corrective actions, and no fines or enforcement actions were recorded. The most recent visit, a June 2025 complaint investigation, found no deficiencies. Outside of the 2024 incident, the facility’s annual inspections have been modest in scope, with five or fewer deficiencies each cycle.
The facility’s occupancy rate is 39%, well below Indiana’s average of 68%, suggesting current availability. The payer mix is heavily Medicare-based at 74%, consistent with the facility’s focus on short-stay, post-acute orientation. Confirmed clinical programs include Comprehensive Wound Care, Respiratory Services, and Holistic Care.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility is best suited for seniors seeking short-term post-acute stays in Whitley County, with staffing levels and a Medicare-weighted census that fit residents recovering from surgery, hospitalization, or acute illness. However, families should carefully review the facility’s prior medication-related incident.
The Overall CMS Rating combines results from health inspections, staffing levels and quality measures. Health inspections carry the most weight. Staffing and quality scores can increase or decrease the final rating based on performance compared to state and national standards.
Based on the results of the facility's three most recent standard inspections and any complaint investigations. CMS reviews the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies, with more recent findings weighted more heavily.
Measures average nursing staff hours per resident per day, including Registered Nurses (RNs) and total nursing staff. Ratings are adjusted based on the level of care residents require and are compared to state and national benchmarks.
Based on clinical and physical health indicators reported to CMS, such as hospital readmissions, falls, pressure ulcers, and improvements in mobility. These measures reflect how well residents' health needs are being managed.
Daily nursing hours per resident by staff type, reported to CMS. Higher is generally better — compare this facility to state and national averages to see where staffing stands.
Total adjusted nursing hours per resident per day, combining RN, LPN, and aide time. CMS adjusts this for case-mix so facilities can be fairly compared.
| Staff type | Hours / Day / Resident | vs state avg |
|---|---|---|
|
Registered Nurse (RN)
RNs hold the highest nursing license and can assess residents, interpret test results, and direct care plans. More RN hours per day often signals stronger clinical oversight and faster response to health changes.
| 1h 3m per day | ▲ 58% State avg: 40m per day · National avg: 41m per day |
|
LPN / LVN
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) deliver routine hands-on care — medication administration, wound dressing, and monitoring vital signs. They work under RN supervision and make up a large share of daily bedside care.
| 15m per day | ▼ 67% State avg: 46m per day · National avg: 52m per day |
|
Nurse Aide
Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) provide the most direct day-to-day assistance: bathing, dressing, feeding, and mobility. Nurse aide hours are typically the largest staffing category and directly affect residents' quality of life.
| 1h 36m per day | ▼ 29% State avg: 2h 16m per day · National avg: 2h 20m per day |
|
Weekend Total Nursing
Combined nursing hours (RN + LPN + Nurse Aide) per resident per day on weekends. Staffing often drops on weekends — this figure reveals whether the facility maintains adequate coverage outside of weekday hours.
| 2h 34m per day | ▼ 21% State avg: 3h 14m per day · National avg: 3h 26m per day |
|
Physical Therapist
Hours per resident per day provided by licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) or PT Assistants. PT services help residents recover mobility after injury or illness and are especially important for post-acute (short-stay) rehabilitation.
| 1m per day | ▼ 70% State avg: 4m per day · National avg: 4m per day |
|
Weekend RN
Registered nurse hours specifically on weekends. Facilities sometimes reduce RN presence on Saturdays and Sundays — a low weekend RN figure compared to weekday hours can indicate reduced clinical oversight when most administrative staff are absent.
| 47m per day | ▲ 73% State avg: 27m per day · National avg: 28m per day |
Average number of days residents stay at this facility, based on CMS cost report data. Shorter stays often reflect post-acute or rehab care; longer stays reflect long-term care.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility is legally operated by Johnson Memorial Hospital, and administered by Laurie Barnes.
Key information about the people who lead and staff this community.
In Indiana, the Department of Health, Division of Long Term Care is the primary regulatory body that performs onsite inspections and quality of care reviews for all licensed facilities.
A composite 0–100 score combining this facility's inspections, deficiencies, complaints, and enforcement actions relative to the Indiana state average. The score below shows how many points this facility sits above or below the typical Indiana assisted living residence score (the benchmark); higher is better.This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine score.
3 points above the Indiana average for assisted living residences (83/100)
Rank #120 / 392 in Indiana Inspection Score — State benchmarked This home is ranked 120th out of 392 homes in Indiana for Inspection Score. Shows this facility's inspection score compared to the Indiana average among 392 comparable communities in the ranking pool. Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Indiana that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking. This is a proprietary Assisted Living Magazine score. Inspection score: 86 out of 100. Letter grade B. 3 points above the Indiana average for assisted living residences (83/100)
This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Indiana state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Deficiencies
| This Facility | IN Average | vs. IN Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 46 | 36 | This facility has 28% more total deficiencies than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (46 vs. IN avg 36).↑ 28% worse |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2022.
| 11.5 | 9 | This facility has 28% more deficiencies per year than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (11.5 vs. IN avg 9).↑ 28% worse |
|
Deficiencies per inspection
Average deficiencies per inspection.
| 2.3 | 1.9 | This facility has 21% more deficiencies per inspection than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (2.3 vs. IN avg 1.9).↑ 21% worse |
Inspections
| This Facility | IN Average | vs. IN Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total visits
Combined count of all on-site visits — routine inspections, complaint visits, follow-ups, and other focused visits.
| 20 | 19 | This facility has had 5% more total visits than the Indiana average (20 vs. IN avg 19). More inspections can mean more regulatory scrutiny rather than worse care.↑ 5% more |
|
Inspections with deficiencies
Inspections that resulted in at least one regulatory deficiency.
| 5 | 7 | This facility has 29% fewer inspections with deficiencies than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (5 vs. IN avg 7).↓ 29% better |
|
Inspection deficiency rate
Percentage of inspections that resulted in at least one deficiency.
| 25% | 37% | This facility has 12 percentage points lower inspection deficiency rate than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (25% vs. IN avg 37%).↓ 12% better |
|
Inspections
Routine, scheduled inspections conducted by state regulators.
| 10 | 13 | This facility has 23% fewer inspections than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (10 vs. IN avg 13).↓ 23% better |
Complaints & Investigations
| This Facility | IN Average | vs. IN Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total complaints
Formal expressions of concern made by residents, families, or staff.
| 1 | 5 | This facility has 80% fewer total complaints than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (1 vs. IN avg 5).↓ 80% better |
|
Complaints per year
Average complaints per year since 2022.
| 0.3 | 1.3 | This facility has 77% fewer complaints per year than a typical Indiana assisted living residence (0.3 vs. IN avg 1.3).↓ 77% better |
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
State average N/A
Last Health inspection on Oct 2024
State average N/A
State average N/A
Health citations are formal notices following inspections when they fail to comply with safety and care standards.
10 of 12 citations resulted from standard inspections; and 2 of 12 resulted from complaint investigations.
In line with State averageState average: N/A
In line with State averageState average: N/A
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Corrected
Reporting period: October 1 – December 31, 2025 (Q4 2025). Source: CMS Payroll-Based Journal report.
0% compared with State averageState average ratio: 0 : 0
0% compared with State averageState average: 0 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Manages medical care and health needs.
All 9 RN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
9
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.6 hoursAssists with medical care and medications.
All 4 LPN Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
4
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.4 hoursHelps with daily care and mobility.
All 18 CNA Staff are full-time employees. No contractors work on this role.
18
Average shift length. Calculated as total hours divided by days worked and average staff per day.
7.6 hours
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
Total hours from contractors
921 contractor hours this quarter
This data comes from the CMS Payroll-Based Journal report covering October 1 – December 31, 2025.
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 18 | 0 | 18 | 4,444 | 92 | 100% | 7.6 |
| Registered Nurse | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2,624 | 92 | 100% | 7.6 |
| Medication Aide/Technician | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1,655 | 90 | 98% | 7.5 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 4 | 0 | 4 | 978 | 82 | 89% | 7.4 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 2 | 0 | 2 | 926 | 73 | 79% | 7.7 |
| Other Dietary Services Staff | 6 | 0 | 6 | 800 | 83 | 90% | 6.1 |
| Administrator | 1 | 0 | 1 | 501 | 64 | 70% | 7.8 |
| Mental Health Service Worker | 1 | 0 | 1 | 479 | 61 | 66% | 7.9 |
| Speech Language Pathologist | 0 | 2 | 2 | 458 | 67 | 73% | 6.5 |
| Nurse Practitioner | 1 | 0 | 1 | 449 | 60 | 65% | 7.5 |
| Dietitian | 3 | 0 | 3 | 390 | 58 | 63% | 6.7 |
| Physical Therapy Aide | 0 | 3 | 3 | 289 | 52 | 57% | 5 |
| Respiratory Therapy Technician | 0 | 3 | 3 | 76 | 31 | 34% | 2.2 |
| Physical Therapy Assistant | 0 | 5 | 5 | 71 | 26 | 28% | 2.6 |
| Qualified Social Worker | 0 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 29 | 32% | 1 |
Includes penalties issued in 2024
Federal penalties imposed by CMS for regulatory violations, including civil money penalties (fines) and denials of payment for new Medicare/Medicaid admissions.
Source: CMS Penalties Database (Data as of Jan 2026)
120% higher than State averageState average: $27K
28% fewer fines than State averageState average: 1.4
Serious action where Medicare and/or Medicaid temporarily stops payments for new residents until issues are fixed.
0
100% fewer payment denials than State averageState average: 0.4
Penalties are imposed by CMS for violations of federal nursing home regulations.
1 penalty in the past 3 years
Feb 22, 2024 · $60K
Fines imposed for noncompliance, which can be assessed per day or per instance of violation.
Feb 22, 2024Last updated: Jan 2026
These measures show how residents usually do over time at this home, based on health outcomes and preventive care.
A composite score based on pressure ulcers, falls with injury, weight loss, walking ability decline, and activities of daily living decline.
6.4
20% better than State averageState average: 8.0
A composite score based on activities of daily living decline, walking ability decline, and incontinence.
12.4
27% better than State averageState average: 17.1
CMS star rating based on long-stay quality measure performance. 5 stars = significantly above average, 1 star = significantly below average.
Percent of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased
4.1%
66% better than State averageState average: 12.0%
Percent of long-stay residents whose ability to move independently worsened
8.0%
44% better than State averageState average: 14.4%
Percent of low risk long-stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
25.0%
In line with State averageState average: 24.6%
Percent of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury
10.6%
174% worse than State averageState average: 3.9%
Percent of long-stay high risk residents with pressure ulcers
3.6%
17% better than State averageState average: 4.4%
Percent of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection
0.0%
100% better than State averageState average: 1.2%
Percent of long-stay residents who lose too much weight
5.8%
In line with State averageState average: 5.7%
Percent of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms
21.7%
10% better than State averageState average: 24.1%
Percent of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication
12.2%
In line with State averageState average: 12.4%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
100.0%
7% better than State averageState average: 93.7%
Percent of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
100.0%
5% better than State averageState average: 95.4%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine
93.9%
15% better than State averageState average: 81.7%
Percent of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication
2.5%
85% worse than State averageState average: 1.4%
Percent of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine
94.6%
20% better than State averageState average: 79.0%
Quality measures are calculated from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. For most measures, lower percentages indicate better care quality.
16% of new residents, usually for short-term rehab.
74% of new residents, often for short stays.
10% of new residents, often for long-term daily care.
Source: CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics (Data as of Jan 2026)
Total residents
27Residents meet regularly to discuss policies, care quality, and activities
Organized group of residents that meets regularly to discuss facility policies, quality of life, and activities.
Data sourced from CMS Long-Term Care Facility Characteristics quarterly report. Payer mix reflects the current resident census by primary payment source.
Historical financial and operational data for Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility from 2012–2023, based on CMS SNF Cost Reports.
Key figures below are for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Based on CMS SNF Cost Report for fiscal year ending in 12/2023.
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Net patient revenue — what the home actually collects for resident care, after contractual allowances, bad debt and discounts are subtracted from its gross charges (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It covers resident care only; money the home earns from other sources is shown separately as "Other income."
Net patient income: net patient revenue minus the home's total operating expenses. A positive figure means it earns more from resident care than it spends to deliver it; a negative figure means the opposite. It excludes non-operating "other income."
Money the home earns outside of resident care — such as investments, grants, rentals and other non-operating sources (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3). It is tracked separately from net patient revenue: it is not part of that figure, and it is not included in net patient income.
Staff salaries plus wage-related costs — benefits such as payroll taxes, health insurance and retirement — from the home's own accounting records (CMS cost report, Worksheet A). Contract or agency labor is counted separately, under other operating costs.
Rank #280 / 294Payroll — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 280th out of 294 homes in Indiana for Payroll. Shows total annual staff payroll benchmarked to the Indiana average. Higher payroll investment relative to peers often signals better staffing and less reliance on cheaper contract labor.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Indiana that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Payroll as a share of revenue: staff salaries and wage-related benefits divided by net patient revenue. A higher figure means more of each revenue dollar goes to staff pay.
Rank #185 / 294Payroll % — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 185th out of 294 homes in Indiana for Payroll %. Shows payroll as a percentage of revenue versus the Indiana average. Well-run Indiana facilities typically land around 54–68% — the top third Statewide. Below 25% may signal understaffing or heavy agency use — read with Staffing ratings.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Indiana that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Everything it costs to run the home apart from payroll — food, utilities, supplies, maintenance, contract labor and administration. Calculated as total operating expense minus payroll (staff salaries and wage-related benefits).
The home's total operating expense for the year — all the costs of running it, salaries included (CMS cost report, Worksheet G-3).
Residents typically stay for brief periods, with frequent admissions and discharges throughout the year.
Most new residents arrive under private pay (74% of admissions), and a typical private pay stay runs around 1 - 2 months.
Coverage residents most often arrive under.
Coverage residents most often leave under.
0.0 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Columbia City's city center to Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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The information below is reported by the Indiana Department of Health, Division of Long Term Care.
| The Barrington of Carmel | NH AL IL MC SNF | Carmel | - | 154 | A+ | 39 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed |
| Westminster Village Muncie | NH AL IL SNF | Muncie | - | 303 | A+ | 6 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed |
| Greenwood Village South | NH AL IL MC SNF | Greenwood | - | 207 | A+ | 50 | Apartment / Cottage |
| Christian Care Retirement Community | NH AL IL MC SNF | Bluffton (Toll Gate Heights) | - | 145 | - | 4 | 1 Bed / 2 Bed / 3 Bed |
| Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility | NH RC SNF | Columbia City | - | 84 | - | 77 | - |
Ann Hill is the Director of Nursing at Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility is legally operated by Johnson Memorial Hospital, and administered by Laurie Barnes.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility has a walk score of 77. Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.
According to IN state health department records, Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility's license number is 25-000071-1.
According to IN state health department records, Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility's license expires on February 28, 2027.
Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility's occupancy is 50%.
No, Waters of Columbia City Skilled Nursing Facility has a no-pet policy.
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