CMS F-tag

F688: Quality of life & care

Residents with limited range of motion must get treatment to prevent further decline. Cited 3,913 times at 3,232 nursing homes in the last three inspection cycles.

#30 of 242 tags3% caused harm51 statesLatest survey Dec 31, 2025

How F688 shows up in inspections

#30 of 242 tagsOften cited

Rarely cited
Occasionally cited
Often cited
Very often cited
Among the most cited

How serious it usually is

Immediate jeopardyJ · K0.1%4
Actual harmG · H2.9%112
No actual harmD · E · F97%3,796
Minimal harmB0%1

3% of F688 citations involved actual harm or immediate jeopardy. Nationally, about 5% of all citations do.

By the numbers

3,913Citations
3,232Facilities cited22% of rated nursing homes

Citations by survey year

20173
201828
2019173
202073
2021247
2022597
2023919
20241,092
2025781

Partial years reflect the rolling three-cycle window, not a change in enforcement.

Where F688 is cited most

Survey agencies differ in what they emphasize, so compare a facility with its own state. Shares are the portion of each state’s rated nursing homes with at least one F688 citation.

States by share of facilities cited

California36% of homes559 citations · 416 of 1,154 facilities
Illinois38% of homes352 citations · 253 of 665 facilities
Ohio28% of homes296 citations · 251 of 911 facilities
Pennsylvania29% of homes252 citations · 187 of 653 facilities
Florida24% of homes185 citations · 166 of 689 facilities
Michigan36% of homes177 citations · 153 of 420 facilities
New York23% of homes152 citations · 135 of 593 facilities
Washington55% of homes145 citations · 106 of 192 facilities
Missouri23% of homes126 citations · 110 of 479 facilities
Indiana19% of homes116 citations · 98 of 504 facilities

Top 10 of 51 states. Every state page lists its most-cited tags.

Facilities cited most often

Elevate Care Chicago NorthChicago, IL · Report card6 F688No harm
Oak Grove Post AcuteStockton, CA · Report card5 F688No harm
Desert Springs Post AcutePalm Desert, CA · Report card4 F6881 with harm
Aperion Care InternationalChicago, IL · Report card4 F688No harm
Brooklyn Ctr for Rehab and Residential Health CareBrooklyn, NY · Report card4 F688No harm
Edenbrook SouthWilliamsport, PA · Report card4 F688No harm
Long Beach Healthcare CenterLong Beach, CA · Report card4 F688No harm
Longwood Manor Conv.HospitalLos Angeles, CA · Report card4 F688No harm
LA Bella of WoodstockWoodstock, IL · Report card4 F688No harm
Oak Park OasisOak Park, IL · Report card4 F688No harm
Pavilion at Glacier ValleySlinger, WI · Report card4 F688No harm
Whittier Hills Health Care CtrWhittier, CA · Report card4 F688No harm
Alderwood Post Acute & RehabilitationLynnwood, WA · Report card3 F6881 with harm
Colonial Care CenterLong Beach, CA · Report card3 F6881 with harm
Generations Oakton PavillionDes Plaines, IL · Report card3 F6881 with harm

What to ask a facility about a F688 citation

What exactly did the surveyor find, and on what date? The report card shows the date and the severity letter.
What was the plan of correction, and was it accepted by the state on the first submission?
Has the same tag been cited in more than one cycle? Repeat citations matter more than a single one.
If the letter was G or higher: what happened to the resident, and what changed in staffing or process?

Source: CMS Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home Health Citations, current three inspection cycles, most recent survey Dec 31, 2025. Counts are citations unless labeled facilities.

What is F688 in a nursing home inspection?

F688 is the CMS F-tag for the requirement "Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason." (Quality of life & care). Surveyors cite it when a facility is found out of compliance with that regulation during a standard survey or complaint investigation.

How common is F688?

F688 was cited 3,913 times at 3,232 facilities (22% of rated nursing homes) in the last three inspection cycles, ranking #30 of 242 tags. 116 of those citations involved actual harm or immediate jeopardy.

Does a F688 citation mean the facility is unsafe?

Not on its own. Read the scope and severity letter: D through F means no actual harm was found, G through I means a resident was harmed, and J through L means immediate jeopardy. Ask the facility what was cited, what was corrected, and when.

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