Safety Report: Altamaha Healthcare Center
How to read this report. Every nursing home receives some citations. One citation does not mean a facility is unsafe. Look at how serious the findings were, whether the same problems keep coming back, and whether things are getting better or worse. Learn how inspections work.
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
0Immediate jeopardy citations (severity J–L)
1Actual harm citations (severity G–I)
3Requirements cited on more than one inspection
G
Government finding: Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · Tag F689
Citations by topic
3Abuse, neglect & exploitation
2Infection control
6Medications & pharmacy
1Accidents & supervision
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 (15) than in the cycle before (12).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (F880) | 2 | August 9, 2025; July 31, 2024 |
| Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. (F759) | 2 | August 9, 2025; June 24, 2022 |
| Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive. (F578) | 2 | July 31, 2024; June 24, 2022 |
Fines and enforcement
| Date | Type | Amount / length |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2024 | Fine | $4,017 |
Federal civil money penalties and Medicare/Medicaid payment denials. State-level penalties may not be included.
Complete inspection history
June 4, 2026 — 1 citation · complaint investigation
F
Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Widespread · Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies · F727 · complaint · corrected June 15, 2026
August 9, 2025 — 14 citations (includes serious)
G
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Actual harm to a resident (not immediate jeopardy) · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F689 · complaint · corrected October 16, 2025
F
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.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Widespread · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F761 · corrected October 16, 2025
F
Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Widespread · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F585 · corrected October 16, 2025
E
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Infection Control Deficiencies · F880 · corrected October 16, 2025
E
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F759 · corrected October 16, 2025
E
Ensure residents have reasonable access to and privacy in their use of communication methods.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F576 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F842 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F695 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F684 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F677 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F644 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F610 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F609 · corrected October 16, 2025
D
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F552 · corrected October 16, 2025
July 31, 2024 — 12 citations
F
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Widespread · Infection Control Deficiencies · F880 · complaint · corrected November 1, 2024
F
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Widespread · Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies · F812 · corrected August 31, 2024
E
Notify the resident or the resident’s representative in writing how long the nursing home will hold the resident’s bed in cases of transfer to a hospital or therapeutic leave.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F625 · corrected August 31, 2024
E
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F623 · corrected August 31, 2024
E
Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies · F607 · corrected August 31, 2024
E
Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F578 · corrected August 31, 2024
D
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F760 · complaint · corrected August 31, 2024
D
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.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F758 · corrected August 31, 2024
D
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F755 · complaint · corrected August 31, 2024
D
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.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies · F700 · corrected August 31, 2024
D
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F657 · corrected August 31, 2024
C
Post nurse staffing information every day.
No actual harm, potential for minimal harm · Widespread · Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies · F732 · corrected August 31, 2024
June 24, 2022 — 3 citations
E
Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Pharmacy Service Deficiencies · F759 · corrected July 26, 2022
E
PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Pattern · Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies · F645 · corrected July 26, 2022
D
Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
No actual harm, but potential for more than minimal harm · Isolated · Resident Rights Deficiencies · F578 · corrected July 26, 2022
Source: CMS Health Deficiencies dataset (data as of October 1, 2026); full inspection narratives on Medicare Care Compare