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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.
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.
Avantara Pierre, located at 950 East Park Street in Pierre, is a 65-bed nursing home in Hughes County that opened in 2025 under the administration of Chase Watson. Operating primarily as a short-term rehabilitation facility, it admits residents across a Medicare-majority population (53 percent), supplemented by private-pay and Medicaid placements, with a typical stay of 212 days. The facility lies close to Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, 0.13 miles away, providing ready access to acute care. It accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay.
Staffing presents a significant challenge. The facility delivers 2 hours 36 minutes of total nursing care per resident daily, which is well below South Dakota’s 3-hour-46-minute benchmark and among the lowest in the state (ranked 56th of 57 facilities). Weekend coverage narrows further to 2 hours 27 minutes per day. This staffing constraint aligns with broader performance gaps: health inspection ratings run 21.6 percent below state norms, and overall CMS ratings trail benchmarks by 20.3 percent.
One bright spot: quality measures like hospital readmissions, falls, mobility gains outperform state averages by 9.9 percent, suggesting clinical management compensates despite lean staffing. No federal penalties or payment denials have been issued over the past three years.
The facility’s clinical footprint spans seven specialized programs: post-surgical and short-term rehabilitation, stroke and neurological recovery, cardiac care, oncology support, pulmonary services, and orthopedic rehabilitation, alongside a memory care unit.
Room options include private and semi-private suites; community spaces, high-speed Wi-Fi, and on-site salon services support daily living.
Avantara Pierre orients toward post-acute rehabilitation in a newer operational environment where short-stay clinical recovery is prioritized and specialized programming is available.
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.
This home is ranked 56th out of 57 homes in South Dakota for nurse hours. 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
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 27m per day | ▼ 25% State avg: 3h 17m per day · National avg: 3h 25m per day |
Similar to the South Dakota average: 79.9%Avantara Pierre is administrated by Chase Watson.
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
No penalties in the past 3 years
No civil money penalties or payment denials were reported in the last 3 years.
Most residents typically stay for a few weeks or months before returning home or moving on.
0.9 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Pierre's city center to Avantara Pierre's address, calculated via Google Maps.
— 0.13 miles to nearest hospital (Avera St. Mary's Hospital)
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Avantara Pierre is located in Pierre, South Dakota.
Here are the financial assistance programs available to residents in South Dakota.
The information below is reported by the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Care Facilities Licensure.
| Avera Maryhouse |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
HC Home Care Professional care delivered in the person's own home — from companionship and errands to skilled nursing and therapy. Allows seniors to age in place. Medicare covers skilled home health when medically necessary. | Pierre | 67
Facility
67
SD AVG
69
Rank
#49 / 117 | - | - | 5.30 | +18% | +22% | $0 | 9 | 2.3 | - | 58 |
60
Facility
60
SD AVG
39
Rank
#39 / 159 | - | - | - | - | 435034 | ||||
| Fountain Springs Healthcare Center |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support. | Rapid City | 10
Facility
10
SD AVG
69
Rank
#116 / 117 | 87.3% | +9% | 3.82 | -2% | -12% | $32.3k | 11 | 1.6 | 2 | 86 |
16
Facility
16
SD AVG
39
Rank
#120 / 159 | - | $8.8M | $4.4M | 50.3% | 435110 | ||||
| Avera Mother Joseph Manor Retirement Community |
NH Nursing Home Licensed facility providing 24/7 skilled nursing care for residents with complex, ongoing medical needs. Staffed by RNs, LPNs, and CNAs. Inspected and star-rated annually by CMS. Accepts Medicare (short-term rehab) and Medicaid (long-term care).
AL Assisted Living A licensed, long-term care setting for seniors or individuals with disabilities who need help with daily activities — like bathing, dressing, and medication management — but not 24-hour skilled nursing. Offers housing, meals, and around-the-clock support while aiming to maximize resident independence.
HC Home Care Professional care delivered in the person's own home — from companionship and errands to skilled nursing and therapy. Allows seniors to age in place. Medicare covers skilled home health when medically necessary.
IL Independent Living Lifestyle-focused communities for older adults offering dining, activities, and transportation with minimal personal care. Best for active, independent seniors who want community without medical support. | Aberdeen | 81
Facility
81
SD AVG
69
Rank
#32 / 117 | - | - | 4.62 | -24% | +6% | $20.6k | 12 | 1.7 | 3 | 77 |
31
Facility
31
SD AVG
39
Rank
#93 / 159 | - | - | - | - | 435042 |
Avantara Pierre has a walk score of 57. Moderately walkable. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, with a mix of nearby amenities.
According to SD state health department records, Avantara Pierre's license number is 10663.
According to SD state health department records, Avantara Pierre's license expires on June 30, 2026.
Avantara Pierre's occupancy is 79%.
Chase Watson is the administrator of Avantara Pierre.
Avantara Pierre has 65 beds.
Yes — there are 18 photos of Avantara Pierre in the photo gallery on this page.
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