Decorah healthcare
Local emergency care still needs a specialty and transfer plan
WinnMed reports a 24-hour emergency department with 10 rooms, Level IV trauma certification, and paramedic coverage. It gives residents a clear local emergency starting point.
Confirm doctors, networks, specialists, diagnostics, prescriptions, transfer destinations, winter transport, and aftercare. Emergency availability does not establish every tertiary service locally.
Access to care
1 hospitals are listed within 12 km. A primary care visit, a pharmacy stop, and an urgent need may not all be equally close to the same home.
1
Hospitals Within 12 km
- Healthcare Access
- Good
- Hospital Access
- Very Good
- HRSA Adult Primary Care Sites Within 15 Miles
- 0
- Nearest HRSA Adult Primary Care Site
- 36.5 mi
Everyday and urgent care
Primary care and pharmacy access shape frequent appointments. Specialist and emergency options matter when a need cannot wait.
Everyday care
- Primary Care Access
- Poor
- Registered Retail Pharmacies
- 3
More involved care
- Medicare Listed Selected Specialists in City
- 27
- Emergency Care
- Excellent
Specialists and long term care
Specialist availability, emergency options, and longer term health can matter once you have chosen a neighborhood.
- Medicare Listed Rheumatology Clinicians in City
- 1
- Medicare Listed Nephrology Clinicians in City
- 2
- Medicare Listed Pulmonary Disease Clinicians in City
- 3
- Medicare Listed Endocrinology Clinicians in City
- 0
- Medicare Listed Ophthalmology Clinicians in City
- 2
- Medicare Listed Neurology Clinicians in City
- 1
- Medicare Listed Medical Oncology Clinicians in City
- 0
- Medicare Listed Cardiology Clinicians in City
- 11
- Medicare Listed Geriatric Medicine Clinicians in City
- 0
- Residents 65+ Without Health Insurance
- 0.0%
- Medicare Emergency Hospitals Within 30 Miles
- 4
- Nearest Medicare Emergency Hospital
- 0.7 miles
- Nearest CMS Rated Hospital
- 0.7 mi away
- Reported Hospital Beds Within 12 km
- 25
- Life Expectancy at Birth — National (2024)
- 78.9 years
- Medicare Advantage Plan Options
- 14
- CMS Certified Nursing Homes Within 15 Miles
- 4
- Nearest CMS Certified Nursing Home
- 1.6 mi away
- Medicare Listed Home Health Agency Offices in City
- 1
- Medicare Listed Hospice Provider Offices in City
- 1
- Medicare Listed Dialysis Facilities in City
- 1
- CMS Reported Ambulatory Surgical Centers in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Inpatient Rehab Facilities in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Long Term Care Hospitals in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Rural Health Clinics in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Federally Qualified Health Centers in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Home Infusion Therapy Supplier Enrollments in City
- 0
- Residents 65+ With a Disability
- 22.0%
- CMS Listed Ambulance Service Supplier Enrollments in City
- 0
- CMS Listed MDPP Supplier Enrollments in City
- 0
- Life Expectancy
- About 78.9 years
- Walkability for Health
- Moderate
4 of 5 stars · 0.7 mi away
The Highlands (165178) · 1.6 mi away
Decorah in everyday life
Could Decorah work for you?
What may work well
- WinnMed provides an identifiable 24-hour emergency department and paramedic coverage.
- Decorah's small-city setting keeps local primary and emergency routes easy to map.
What to think about
- The local source does not establish every specialty or tertiary service.
- Winter weather and regional referral distances can affect care access.
Review Decorah care
List current needs
Write down doctors, medicines, diagnostics, therapy, emergency preferences, and likely future support.
Confirm the network
Check WinnMed, specialists, imaging, prescriptions, referrals, insurance, transfer, and winter transport.
Plan aftercare
Identify rides, meals, home help, mobility support, heating backup, and regional follow-up.
Questions retirees ask
Does Decorah have local emergency care?
WinnMed reports a 24-hour emergency department with 10 rooms, Level IV trauma certification, and paramedic coverage. Confirm the services and transfer route you need.
What should I ask before moving?
Ask about emergency care, physicians, diagnostics, prescriptions, specialists, insurance, referrals, transfers, winter transport, and aftercare.
Decorah has a clear local emergency starting point. The move is stronger when the household confirms specialty access, winter transport, referrals, regional transfers, and aftercare.
Sources
Hospitals, primary care, pharmacies, specialists, and emergency care all affect how close and practical care may feel.
Confirm insurance acceptance, specialist availability, language needs, prescription access, and emergency care before making serious plans.
- OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe
Used for Healthcare Access, Primary Care Access
- FEMA RAPT / HIFLD Hospitals
Used for Hospital Access, Hospitals Within 12 km, Reported Hospital Beds Within 12 km
Checked 2026-07-19
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Selected Specialists in City, Medicare-Listed Rheumatology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Nephrology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Pulmonary Disease Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Endocrinology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Ophthalmology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Neurology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Medical Oncology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Cardiology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Geriatric Medicine Clinicians in City
Checked 2026-07-13
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NPPES NPI Registry
Used for Registered Retail Pharmacies
Checked 2026-07-19
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Used for Emergency Care, Medicare Emergency Hospitals Within 30 Miles, Nearest Medicare Emergency Hospital, Nearest CMS-Rated Hospital
Checked 2026-07-12
- U.S. Census Bureau
Used for Residents 65+ Without Health Insurance
- Health Resources and Services Administration
Used for HRSA Adult Primary-Care Sites Within 15 Miles, Nearest HRSA Adult Primary-Care Site
Checked 2026-07-18
- World Bank
Used for Life Expectancy at Birth — National (2024), Life Expectancy
Checked 2026-06-18
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Used for Medicare Advantage Plan Options
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Certified Nursing Homes Within 15 Miles, Nearest CMS-Certified Nursing Home
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Home Health Agency Offices in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Hospice Provider Offices in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Dialysis Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Reported Ambulatory Surgical Centers in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Inpatient Rehab Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Long-Term Care Hospitals in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Rural Health Clinics in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Federally Qualified Health Centers in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Home Infusion Therapy Supplier Enrollments in City
- U.S. Census Bureau
Used for Residents 65+ With a Disability
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Ambulance Service Supplier Enrollments in City, CMS-Listed MDPP Supplier Enrollments in City
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index
Used for Walkability for Health
Checked 2026-07-10
Not yet available for this place: Specialist Access.
Partnerships never affect rankings, scores, methodology, or inclusion.
Partner with Retirement ListsResearch and writing byGrant Gibson
How this city research is made
Retirement Lists uses documented public sources and methods to research, review, and correct city information. Read our Editorial Policy.