2024 ANNUAL QUALITY REPORT
LETTER FROM NATHAN SCHEMA, GOOD SAMARITAN PRESIDENT AND CEO
At Good Samaritan, delivering high-quality care to every resident entrusted to us is at the very core of what we do and who we are. Our residents, families and communities rely on us to fulfill the promise of our mission: To care, comfort and cure.
As part of that commitment, I’m honored to share with you Good Samaritan’s 2024 Quality Report. The report highlights our progress advancing quality care, including how we’re expanding access to care, enhancing safety in our long-term care centers, engaging with our communities and building a strong workforce. It also features stories that reflect the profound impact Good Samaritan team members have every day through their compassion, skill and dedication.
As part of Sanford Health’s integrated health system, Good Samaritan is uniquely positioned to provide person-centered care that spans across every care setting and beyond from the hospital to our long-term care centers to home. Through care coordination and investments in the health and well-being of communities across America’s heartland, we are finding new and better ways to meet the comprehensive and evolving needs of seniors.
As a nonprofit senior care provider, we are deeply committed to our communities. Over 70 percent of the seniors we serve live in rural communities, so we care for our friends, neighbors, veterans and community leaders who form the fabric of the places we call home. The work we do at Good Samaritan is more than a job. It’s a calling and responsibility we take to heart every day.
I am deeply grateful to our team members for their unwavering commitment to excellence. Together, and in partnership with our residents, families and communities, we remain focused on continuously improving the quality of care and the experience of every resident we serve. It is our highest calling and our greatest honor.
Nathan Schema President & CEO Good Samaritan
Good Samaritan, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior care and services, is committed to transforming the aging experience through innovation, compassion and personalized care. As part of Sanford Health, an integrated nonprofit health system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Good Samaritan serves 10,000 seniors and offers access to a full continuum of care, including 94 rehabilitation and skilled nursing centers, 56 assisted living and memory care facilities, 44 independent living locations and 37 home health and hospice agencies. The senior care provider delivers services across the upper Midwest, with 70% of residents living in rural communities. Learn more about Good Samaritan’s mission and commitment to delivering high quality senior care in rural America at goodsam.com
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News
FOUNDATION FOCUS
The Good Samaritan Foundation, which was founded more than 100 years ago, is fueled by philanthropy. Through the Foundation, 100% of every dollar given supports enhancements to care, meaningful programming, facility updates and more. In 2024, the Foundation put $9.5 million in philanthropy to work across the communities we serve — 34% went to resident & patient care and long-term support, 32% to local community support, 23% to equipment, technology and facilities and 11% to employee education & support. Among the 2,583 donors in 2024 were many grateful residents, families and employees whose gifts through the Guardian Angel program celebrated caregivers and staff who went above and beyond to provide compassion, care and comfort. More than 250 Good Samaritan employees were recognized as Guardian angels in 2024.
View the Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report.
ACCESS TO CARE
As the largest nonprofit provider of skilled nursing services, Good Samaritan is committed to solving the unique challenges of rural health care delivery so we can ensure seniors have access to care close to home.
INTRODUCING FOUNDER’S CROSSING
In early 2024, Sanford Health announced plans to develop a full continuum of care senior living community in Sioux Falls called Good Samaritan Society –Founder's Crossing. The project's groundbreaking ceremony was held in September to celebrate the leading-edge campus that will expand access to high-quality care close to home
Founder's Crossing will offer all health and wellness services under one roof, including independent living apartments and villas; assisted living and memory care services; short-term rehabilitation and long-term care; home-based services; life enrichment programs; Sanford Health clinic and Lewis Drug. Amenities like walking paths, outdoor and indoor fitness areas, pickleball, a golf simulator, large community room, restaurant-style dining and spa will help residents create meaningful connections alongside friends, family and neighbors. Founder's Crossing is set to open in 2026.
Learn more.
EXPANDING ST. MARTIN VILLAGE
In August, Good Samaritan announced the addition of senior services in Rapid City, South Dakota. The former St. Martin Monastery, on the campus of Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village in northwest Rapid City, opened as Unity Place and includes 22 assisted living units and 10 memory care assisted living units. As of 2024, Good Samaritan served nearly 1,000 seniors in the Black Hills region through long-term care, senior living and home health services. With the full spectrum of senior services offered at Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village, campus residents have priority access to higher levels of care when they need it.
ADVOCATING FOR ACCESS
Representatives from Good Samaritan attended the 2024 American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living Congressional Briefing June 3-4 in Washington, D.C., to advocate for policies that support long-term care workers and protect access to care for seniors living in rural America. The annual event is an opportunity for members of Congress to hear directly from long-term care providers about the real-world implications of legislative decisions made on Capitol Hill.
The focus of visits in 2024 was the federal minimum staffing rule finalized in May 2024, which would have mandated one-size-fits-all staffing levels for every nursing home across the country, putting access to care at risk. Good Samaritan advocated for legislative policies that would protect access to care for seniors and strengthen the long-term care workforce. The minimum staffing rule was overturned in April 2025, paving the way for a more thoughtful approach — one that enhances quality, supports caregivers and ensures the long-term sustainability of rural providers.
Top left: President & CEO Nate Schema participates in a press conference, sharing insights on labor shortages in rural areas.
Bottom left: Chief Operating Officer Aimee Middleton and Administrator Laura Salonek stand in front of the U.S. Capitol. Right: Schema, Salonek, Middleton and Director of Government Affairs Tom Syverson pose for a picture in the Capitol.
A CONTINUUM OF CARE
Good Samaritan offers an important continuum of care for its residents and their families. Jeanette Toenies first came to the Good Samaritan independent living apartments in Pine River, Minnesota, when she was 89 years old. Over the next three years, after a fall, she moved to Pine River's assisted living location, followed by its nursing home. Finally, as Toenies developed dementia, Good Samaritan helped Toenies' daughter, Diane Norlin, discuss hospice. Toenies passed away in September 2023, but her daughter still visits her mother's former home and enjoys talking with Good Samaritan nurses.
Watch Jeanette and Diane’s story.
SAFETY & EXPERIENCE
At Good Samaritan, we are deeply committed to the care and well-being of the residents, patients and communities who place their trust in us. Our priority is to deliver high-quality care and create an experience where every individual’s unique needs are met through personalized services
SAFE
Sanford Accountability For Excellence (SAFE) is Sanford Health’s high-reliability initiative that focuses on implementing solutions to challenges in four key areas: clinical quality, patient and resident safety, employee engagement and clinician wellbeing. SAFE has empowered our teams to speak up, raise their concerns and understand the positive impact of their actions. High-reliability experts and leaders regularly round with teams to better understand the root causes of preventable serious safety events, as well as equip employees and leaders with relationship skills and tools to support them in challenging scenarios.
SAFE relationship skills include greeting people and listening with empathy, listening to learn and understand rather than listening to respond, communicating with positive intent and creating intentional space for frontline experts to ask questions and inform the path forward. SAFE reliability skills include paying attention to detail, communicating clearly, leading with true curiosity, seeking to understand and speaking up for safety. All Good Samaritan employees participate in SAFE trainings, and leaders within our system go through additional leadership training in the program.
65 SAFE coaches trained
PREVENTING FALLS
Good Samaritan is committed to raising awareness on preventing falls, reducing the risk of falls and helping older adults live without fear of falling. Because of this, throughout September, Good Samaritan scheduled nearly 40 falls prevention screening events across its footprint. The events provided an opportunity for community members to visit locations for screenings, training and instruction on ways to prevent falls in their homes, as well as exercise programs to help maintain their function.
ANNUAL RESIDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY
The Good Samaritan Resident & Family Experience Survey is completed annually by residents in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities and their families. The survey provides direct insight into the quality of care and services offered. The feedback received is essential for guiding improvement efforts at both the regional and local levels. The data also supports applications for the American Health Care Association (AHCA) Quality Awards by demonstrating Good Samaritan’s commitment to continuous improvement based on resident and family input.
The therapy team from Good Samaritan Society – Auburn in Nebraska saw a great turnout during their September screening event.
COMPREHENSIVE VACCINATION EFFORTS
Entering respiratory illness season each year, one of Good Samaritan’s top priorities remains supporting its staff and residents with vaccination efforts. Good Samaritan has strong partnerships with local pharmacies, including Lewis Drug in South Dakota, which has a robust vaccination program. Lewis maintains a longterm care pharmacy operation which covers 20 Good Samaritan skilled nursing and assisted living locations. Good Samaritan also focuses on one-on-one outreach with residents' family members, clear and honest messaging, a team-based approach and its partnership with Sanford Health through the involvement of Sanford physicians and medical directors.
In July, nursing leaders Amanda Petrik and Courtney Vroman joined Sanford Health’s “Health and Wellness” podcast to discuss the importance of vaccination for older adults. Listen here.
As of November 2024, Good Samaritan had surpassed the national benchmark for influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines. Influenza vaccination rates remained the highest, peaking at 79.34% in December. Data is tracked based on percentage of eligible residents vaccinated and point-intime data pulls due to frequent census changes.
LONG TERM CARE SUCCESS
Good Samaritan was featured in a book aimed at sharing the strategies and characteristics of the country’s most innovative skilled nursing providers. The book, titled Long Term Care Success: How Senior Care Communities Thrive Clinically and Financially, is authored by Mark Parkinson, former president of the American Healthcare Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL); Dr. David Gifford, AHCA/NCAL chief medical officer; and Rae Anne Davis, AHCA/NCAL chief strategic officer and SVP of administration. Long Term Care Success combines real-world insights with actionable strategies, focused on creating strong business foundations rooted in clinical excellence and purpose-driven care. Good Samaritan is featured in two chapters for its strong mission and quality outcomes.
Learn more.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community partnerships with schools, churches and local organizations are a vital part of supporting rural skilled nursing facilities and ensuring our residents have quality care and a great quality of life.
CULINARY CULTURE PROJECT
The Good Samaritan Culinary Culture Project began in 2024 to foster a culturally informed environment for residents. Staff at three skilled nursing facilities in Loveland, Colorado; Sioux Falls Village in South Dakota; and St. Martin Village in Rapid City, South Dakota prepared various global dishes for residents, as well as educational material about the culture related to the dish.
The facilities have also hosted events, including a 10-year location anniversary party with sushi, Filipino BBQ, chicken satay and additional food from non-dominant cultures; Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration with a showing of the movie "Coco," an ofrenda table to honor loved ones who have passed, face painting, Mexican cuisine and mariachi band; and a Native American Day celebration with an Indian taco lunch and performance by hoop dancer Starr Chief Eagle. The project is ongoing and seeks to bridge generational gaps by collaborating with neighboring elementary schools and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations to prepare, serve and communally enjoy the meals
MEALS ON WHEELS
Meals on Wheels is a donation-based program that provides nutritious meals to seniors at home, empowering them to live independently in their own homes. A number of Good Samaritan locations operate their communities’ Meals on Wheels program out of their facilities, including in Howard and Canistota, South Dakota; George and Elk Horn, Iowa; and Bloomfield, Nebraska. Good Samaritan employees often provide support for Meals on Wheels — helping with meal preparation, packaging and delivery
SENIOR COMPANIONS OF SOUTH DAKOTA
Since 1978, Good Samaritan has been the sponsor of Senior Companions of South Dakota — a program which encourages lowincome, healthy volunteers the opportunity to provide companionship and in-home assistance to those who need help to live independently. Senior Companion activities may include companionship through visits, transportation, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping, playing cards, reminiscing or just enjoying the friendship of a peer. Senior Companion volunteers receive an hourly stipend, mileage reimbursement, meal allowances and additional benefits. Currently, Senior Companion services are available in Aberdeen, Belle Fourche, Brookings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Sturgis, Watertown, Waubay, Webster and Yankton, South Dakota
In April 2024, Lorraine Kracke (center) was named the Volunteer of the Month by the Brookings Area United Way's Volunteer United Program. In 2024, Lorraine celebrated 7,000 volunteer hours with Senior Companions, as well as her 10th anniversary with the program.
She serves her clients through shopping, transporting them to medical appointments, encouraging exercise by attending classes at the Activity Center and helping them with crafts.
COMPANION SPOTLIGHT
“PEOPLE WORTH CARING ABOUT”
Good Samaritan was featured in “People Worth Caring About,” a long-term care workforce docuseries featuring seven Nebraska nursing homes and assisted living communities. The docuseries, produced by the Nebraska Health Care Association in partnership with Peter Murphy Lewis and Golden Gen Movement, showcases the variety of career opportunities and rewards of working in long-term care.
Good Samaritan’s episode highlights the senior care provider’s Auburn, Nebraska, location and expresses the importance of engaging with the community and exposing students to a career in long-term care. Episode three of the docuseries features Good Samaritan Society – Auburn hosting Future Farmers of America (FFA) students for a volunteer activity with residents as they planted succulents. The story highlights Good Samaritan’s impact on rural communities and how it fosters intergenerational relationships.
“For us, to expand the workforce in Nebraska, we need to be reaching out to those younger individuals to make it less scary to walk into a nursing home. The residents here are your family and they have a good story to tell.
— Good Samaritan Society – Auburn Administrator Cassie Greene
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Good Samaritan is focused on developing its workforce through programs that emphasize leadership retention, such as employee engagement surveys, an administrator council, a policy of prioritizing internal promotions and an annual operations conference.
90-DAY RETENTION PROGRAM
In 2022, Good Samaritan kicked off IMPACT Your Retention, a 16-week program aimed at improving retention, equipping leaders with new recruitment strategies and prioritizing the employee experience. Good Samaritan started the program in eight locations to help advance one of its top operational goals — improving the retention rate of employees in the first 90 days of employment.
With retention remaining a top priority, Good Samaritan focuses on highlighting resources available to employees — Employee Assistance Program, spiritual care, referral bonuses — as well as strategies for leaders to implement, such as high-energy weekly meetings, mentorship programs and interviews that involve frontline employees.
In August, Good Samaritan administrators Tammi Lehto and Allyson Tator joined Sanford Health’s “Reimagining Rural Health” podcast to discuss retaining the senior caregiving workforce Listen here.
In 2024, Good Samaritan's retention rate rose overall by 2% from 75% at the end of 2023 to 77% at the end of 2024.
In 2024, Good Samaritan held two IMPACT Your Retention cohorts with 20 participating location teams, with participants experiencing an improvement in their 90-day retention of between 2-5% over the course of the year.
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
Good Samaritan is proud to recognize its dedicated employees through programs like the Ever Forward Champion Awards and DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nurses. Ever Forward is how Good Samaritan annually celebrates employees who demonstrate Good Samaritan's mission, vision and values. Good Samaritan employees can be nominated in the following categories: Employee Champion, Caregiver Champion, Leader Champion, Volunteer Champion, Nursing Champion, Administrator Champion, Director of Nursing Champion or System Champion. DAISY Awards celebrate and recognize nurses who personify the mission-driven values of Good Samaritan — demonstrating excellence through clinical expertise and compassionate care. Nominations can be submitted at any time by anyone, and a winner is chosen each month.
Caregiver (CNA) | Patience Russell
Employee | Jerry Kelch
Volunteer | Peyton Marquart
Administrator | Jason Anderson
Caregiver (Nurse) | Taelor Wimmer
Director of Nursing | Amy Davis
Leader | Leanne Atwood
Katherine Uhlir, RN
Joe Abrego, RN
2024 NATIONAL EVER FORWARD CHAMPIONS
2024 DAISY AWARD WINNER
2024 DAISY AWARD WINNER
ADMINISTRATOR IN TRAINING PROGRAM
The Good Samaritan Administrator in Training Program is a paid supervised internship which aims to train current Good Samaritan employees and recruit new ones — preparing the next group of leaders in our nursing homes to become licensed and successful at a location. The program centers on supervised practice under the guidance and supervision of a preceptor, who is a licensed Good Samaritan administrator.
Interested candidates must meet several qualifications and coursework requirements to apply to the program. Once admitted, administrators in training complete 1,000 hours in the program, which includes rotations in several areas: Administration, Human Resources, Nursing, Business Office/Financial Management, Dietary, Rehabilitation, Medical Records, Activities, Social Services/Admissions, Housekeeping/Laundry and Environmental Management/Maintenance. Administrators in training also spend a day living as a resident in a long-term care location, and they receive support even after completing the program and becoming licensed.
Learn more.
In 2024, 10 people participated in the Administrator in Training Program — eight of whom are now in a permanent administrator role, serving as an interim administrator or completing the program.
Nate Schema, Good Samaritan president and CEO, speaks to administrators in training at the Good Samaritan Society National Campus in Sioux Falls.
AHCA/NCAL AWARDS
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program recognizes organizations that meet progressively rigorous standards of performance to further improve the lives of residents and staff in long-term care. The National Quality Award Program has three progressive levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. At the Silver level, recipients have met the criteria for the Bronze award and move on to evaluate and improve their processes, creating a systematic approach for all aspects of the organization that leads to positive outcomes and success.
SILVER — ACHIEVEMENT IN QUALITY AWARDS
Active Good Samaritan Silver Quality Award holders as of Dec. 31, 2024
Skilled Nursing
Good Samaritan Society – Ambassador | New Hope, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Le Mars | Le Mars, IA
Good Samaritan Society – Jackson | Jackson, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Woodland | Brainerd, MN
BRONZE — COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AWARDS
Active Good Samaritan Bronze Quality Award holders as of Dec. 31, 2024
Assisted Living
Good Samaritan Society – Arthur | Arthur, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Brandt Ridge | St. James, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Echo Ridge | Rapid City, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Fargo | Fargo, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Hidden Creek | Albert Lea, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Hillside Lodge | Mountain Home, AR
Good Samaritan Society – Lakota | Lakota, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Poplar Creek Estates | Luverne, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Prairie Creek | Sioux Falls, SD
Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin Village | Rapid City, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village | Sioux Falls, SD
Lakeview Senior Living Apartments | Battle Lake, MN
Ridge View Estates Assisted Living | Pipestone, MN
Sanford Health Dell Rapids Orchard Hills | Dell Rapids, SD
The Lodge of Howard Lake | Howard Lake, MN
The Lodge of Winthrop | Winthrop, MN
BRONZE — COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AWARDS
Active Good Samaritan Bronze Quality Award holders as of Dec. 31, 2024
Skilled Nursing
Edgebrook Care Center | Edgerton, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Albert Lea | Albert Lea, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Albion | Albion, NE
Good Samaritan Society – Algona | Algona, IA
Good Samaritan Society – Auburn | Auburn, NE
Good Samaritan Society – Battle Lake | Battle Lake, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Bethany | Brainerd, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Bloomfield | Bloomfield, NE
Good Samaritan Society – Canton | Canton, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Corsica | Corsica, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Holstein | Holstein, IA
Good Samaritan Society – Howard Lake | Howard Lake, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Luther Manor | Sioux Falls, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Luverne | Luverne, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Manson | Manson, IA
Good Samaritan Society – Millard | Millard, NE
Good Samaritan Society – Miller Pointe | Mandan, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Oakes | Oakes, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Park River | Park River, ND
Good Samaritan Society – Pine River | Pine River, MN
Good Samaritan Society – St. Martin's Village | Rapid City, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Superior | Superior, NE
Good Samaritan Society – Tyndall | Tyndall, SD
Good Samaritan Society – Westbrook | Westbrook, MN
Good Samaritan Society – Pohai Nani | Pohai Nani, HI
Sanford Hillsboro Care Center | Hillsboro, ND
