Safety Report: Santa Cruz Post Acute
Official ratings
Medicare's star ratings compare nursing homes within the same state for health inspections. A 5-star facility performed better than most in its state; a 1-star facility performed worse than most.
Stars are calculated by CMS, not by us. We do not create our own safety score.
Serious documented violations
Citations by topic
Topics use CMS's own deficiency categories; “accidents & supervision” counts tag F689 (free of accident hazards / adequate supervision). Counts cover the last three inspection cycles, including complaint investigations.
Is it getting better or worse?
More citations in the most recent cycle (28) than in the cycle before (23).
An inspection cycle is roughly one year and includes the standard inspection plus complaint investigations. Counts depend partly on how many complaint investigations occurred, so treat small changes with caution. Red bars include at least one serious citation.
Staffing and rating trends will appear as we collect monthly CMS releases. We have one month so far, so a staffing trend cannot yet be determined.
Repeat findings
These requirements were cited on more than one inspection date in the last three cycles.
| Requirement | Times cited | Inspection dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. (F658) | 9 | February 26, 2026; November 26, 2025; July 31, 2024; June 18, 2024; March 7, 2024; January 12, 2024; November 30, 2023; October 13, 2023; May 12, 2023 |
| Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (F684) | 5 | May 11, 2026; March 3, 2025; December 26, 2024; August 2, 2024; November 30, 2023 |
| Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. (F690) | 4 | February 26, 2026; March 3, 2025; August 6, 2024; May 12, 2023 |
| Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (F689) | 4 | November 14, 2025; November 6, 2025; October 23, 2024; June 25, 2024 |
| Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (F880) | 3 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
| Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (F812) | 3 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
| Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. (F759) | 3 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
| Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. (F758) | 3 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
| Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (F755) | 3 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
| Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (F656) | 3 | March 3, 2025; August 2, 2024; January 12, 2024 |
| Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. (F686) | 2 | February 26, 2026; June 18, 2024 |
| Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature. (F804) | 2 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023 |
| Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (F761) | 2 | March 3, 2025; January 24, 2020 |
| Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs. (F757) | 2 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023 |
| Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures. (F756) | 2 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023 |
| Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being. (F726) | 2 | March 3, 2025; June 19, 2024 |
| Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail. (F700) | 2 | March 3, 2025; July 31, 2024 |
| Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (F558) | 2 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023 |
| Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. (F550) | 2 | March 3, 2025; May 12, 2023 |
| Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. (F842) | 2 | August 6, 2024; November 30, 2023 |
| Provide for the safe, appropriate administration of IV fluids for a resident when needed. (F694) | 2 | May 12, 2023; January 24, 2020 |
Fines and enforcement
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| November 6, 2025 | Fine | $84,363 |
| March 3, 2025 | Fine | $26,719 |
| March 7, 2024 | Fine | $50,830 |
Federal civil money penalties and Medicare/Medicaid payment denials. State-level penalties may not be included.
Complete inspection history
May 11, 2026 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
March 11, 2026 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
February 26, 2026 — 3 citations · complaint investigation
November 26, 2025 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
November 14, 2025 — 1 citation (includes serious) · complaint investigation
November 6, 2025 — 1 citation (includes serious) · complaint investigation
July 8, 2025 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
March 3, 2025 — 20 citations
December 26, 2024 — 2 citations · complaint investigation
December 9, 2024 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
October 23, 2024 — 2 citations · complaint investigation
August 6, 2024 — 2 citations · complaint investigation
August 2, 2024 — 2 citations · complaint investigation
July 31, 2024 — 3 citations · complaint investigation
July 5, 2024 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
June 25, 2024 — 1 citation (includes serious) · complaint investigation
June 19, 2024 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
June 18, 2024 — 2 citations (includes serious) · complaint investigation
March 7, 2024 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
January 12, 2024 — 3 citations · complaint investigation
November 30, 2023 — 6 citations · complaint investigation
October 13, 2023 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
May 12, 2023 — 17 citations
January 24, 2020 — 9 citations
Source: CMS Health Deficiencies dataset (data as of October 1, 2026); full inspection narratives on Medicare Care Compare