Iowa Cracks Down on Health Care Facility Violations

The U.S. healthcare industry is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the country. It’s for good reason—the work can mean the difference between life and death. We recently covered Florida's new healthcare background check expansion law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2025, and will significantly expand the scope of background screening for healthcare workers. But work doesn’t end when laws are put in place to protect patients. Enforcing laws means cracking down on non-compliance.

In Iowa, for example, state law requires Iowa care facilities to conduct background checks on their workers, investigate cases of abuse, and inform the state of potential resident abuse. Recent penalties from the Iowa Department of Inspections Appeals and Licensing reflect that multiple health care facilities may have violated these laws. These facilities are now facing fines and other penalties.

Iowa faces string of healthcare facility violations

Healthcare facility violations involving resident abuse often result in state fines of $500, while other violations can potentially face federal penalties of $10,000 or more. Some recent examples of failure to follow background check policies and healthcare worker approval in Iowa include:

• Cherokee Specialty Care: Allegedly failed to obtain approval from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services for a newly hired activities director to work in the facility, after a background check indicated a criminal history that required further evaluation by the Department.
• Fleur Heights Center for Wellness and Rehabilitation: Accused of neglecting to ensure a staff member completed dependent-adult abuse training within six months of hiring and failing to conduct a background check before employing an individual.  
• Morning Star at Jordan Creek: Accused of failing to complete a child- and dependent-adult abuse background check before hiring one of its workers.
• Azria Health Park Place: Allegedly neglected to implement a abuse-and-neglect policy by not completing background checks before hiring certain staff.
• Cedar Ridge Village: Allegedly failed to complete the required background record check evaluation process for a new employee.

Implications for healthcare employers nationwide

The cases in Iowa impact the industry beyond the state borders. The healthcare industry is experiencing a trend towards stricter regulations and increased monitoring of healthcare facilities and workers. This includes a growing interest in healthcare background checks and ensuring that healthcare facilities conduct thorough due diligence in their hiring practices and abuse prevention efforts across the U.S. For example, Florida's HB 975 mentioned earlier expands the scope of background screening for healthcare workers by requiring all healthcare professionals licensed by the Florida Department of Health to undergo background screening as part of the initial licensing process.

Healthcare facility violations can also involve federal fines and expensive penalties. Employers in the healthcare industry should consult their legal counsel to ensure compliance with relevant background screening regulations and laws.