Nursing Homes
A place where five or more people (who are not related to the operator) live because they need 24-hour nursing care. This can include limited nursing care, intermediate level nursing care, and skilled nursing services.
Wisconsin Stat. § ch. 50.01(3)
Consumers can learn more about Finding and Choosing a Nursing Home.
Contact us
For questions regarding nursing homes, contact the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA):
- Email dhswebmaildqa@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
- Call 608-266-8481.
Find DQA contacts with the Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care Regional Offices.
For information on dehydration, dietary services, dysphagia, feeding assessments, food safety/infection control, food service operation, malnutrition, menu planning, tube feeding, and other nutrition-related questions, email: vickie.bergquist@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
If you need information, these sources can help. If you're not sure who to contact or don't see the topic you need, contact DQA.
Active treatment, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID)—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Activity programming—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
ADL functional assessment—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Advanced directives—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Assessments, general—henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Behavioral problems—steven.schuh@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Care planning—henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
CMS functions—vicky.reimer@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Dementia—vickie.bergquist@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Developmental disability levels of care—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Environmental issues—david.soens@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Falls assessment—henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Federal enforcement—sonja.murray@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Fire reporting (within 72 hours)—david.soens@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Forfeitures—elizabeth.laubenstein@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Hospice regulations—jessica.tomczak@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Incontinence, urinary/bowel—henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Infection control—victoria.griffin@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Infectious waste—victoria.griffin@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Life safety code—david.soens@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Medical records—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Medical social services—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Medication administration—douglas.englebert@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Minimum data set, automation/technical—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Minimum data set, clinical coding—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Nurse aide training and testing—therese.vanmale@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Pain management—victoria.griffin@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Palliative care—jessica.tomczak@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Patient rights, hospice—jessica.tomczak@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Pharmacy—douglas.englebert@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Plan review—Plan Review Construction/Remodeling of Health Care Facilities
Plans of correction—Regional Offices
Policy and procedure development—ann.angell@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Pressure injury, pressure sore assessments—victoria.griffin@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Program plan, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID)—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Psychosocial well-being assessment—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Record requests—dhswebmaildqa@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Regulations—Regional Offices or sonja.murray@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Resident assessment instrument, education/coding—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Resident/client abuse—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Resident rights—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Restraints, physical—henry.petrick@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Social services—heathera.newton@dhs.wisconsin.gov (interim)
Standard precautions—victoria.griffin@dhs.wisconsin.gov
State licensure, Medicaid/Medicare certification—elizabeth.laubenstein@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Surety bonds—elizabeth.laubenstein@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Survey inspection process—Regional Offices
Traumatic brain injury (new programs only)—dhswebmaildms@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Waivers, health—elizabeth.laubenstein@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Waiver, life safety code—fokruddin.khondaker@dhs.wisconsin.gov
Fire reporting
All fires in a licensed facility in Wisconsin must be reported to the Department of Health Services within 72 hours. To report a fire, complete and submit the Health Care Facility Fire Report, F-62500.
For questions regarding fire reporting, contact DQA Fire Authority:
- Email dhsdqaplanreview@dhs.wisconsin.gov.
- Call 608-266-8016.
Additional information is provided in DQA numbered memo 17-003 (PDF).