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F-tags by state · Massachusetts
Most common nursing home citations in Massachusetts
10,905 health citations were recorded at 339 of 338 rated nursing homes in Massachusetts over the last three inspection cycles, about 32.3 per facility. Here is what surveyors cite most, how that compares with the rest of the country, and where the harm-level findings cluster.
Citations10,90532.3 per rated facility
Facilities cited339of 338 rated
Actual harm (G–I)4864% of citations
Immediate jeopardy (J–L)991% of citations
Top 25 F-tags in Massachusetts
"State share" is the percentage of rated Massachusetts nursing homes cited at least once for the tag; "U.S. share" is the same figure nationally. A big gap shows a state-specific survey focus.
| # | Tag | Requirement | Category | Citations | State share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F656 | Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. | Assessment & care planning | 577 | 85% | 58% |
| 2 | F880 | Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | Infection control | 543 | 84% | 81% |
| 3 | F658 | Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. | Assessment & care planning | 468 | 73% | 29% |
| 4 | F842 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. | Assessment & care planning | 456 | 74% | 35% |
| 5 | F689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | Quality of life & care | 386 | 70% | 69% |
| 6 | F761 | 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. | Pharmacy services | 382 | 70% | 59% |
| 7 | F812 | Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. | Nutrition & dietary | 360 | 70% | 76% |
| 8 | F695 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. | Quality of life & care | 277 | 60% | 46% |
| 9 | F580 | Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. | Resident rights | 241 | 52% | 30% |
| 10 | F550 | Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. | Resident rights | 239 | 49% | 43% |
| 11 | F677 | Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. | Quality of life & care | 238 | 46% | 44% |
| 12 | F686 | Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. | Quality of life & care | 232 | 51% | 39% |
| 13 | F641 | Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment. | Assessment & care planning | 222 | 49% | 37% |
| 14 | F758 | 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. | Pharmacy services | 194 | 43% | 34% |
| 15 | F756 | Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures. | Pharmacy services | 176 | 40% | 23% |
| 16 | F690 | Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. | Quality of life & care | 171 | 40% | 33% |
| 17 | F692 | Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health. | Quality of life & care | 166 | 38% | 29% |
| 18 | F584 | Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. | Resident rights | 157 | 35% | 39% |
| 19 | F607 | Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. | Abuse, neglect & exploitation | 152 | 32% | 17% |
| 20 | F698 | Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services. | Quality of life & care | 150 | 34% | 19% |
| 21 | F609 | Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. | Abuse, neglect & exploitation | 150 | 33% | 40% |
| 22 | F883 | Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations. | Infection control | 148 | 34% | 18% |
| 23 | F657 | Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. | Assessment & care planning | 145 | 36% | 42% |
| 24 | F759 | Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater. | Pharmacy services | 135 | 31% | 26% |
| 25 | F760 | Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. | Pharmacy services | 121 | 32% | 25% |
Citations by category
Citations by survey year
Partial years reflect the rolling three-cycle window.
Check a specific Massachusetts nursing home
The report card lists every citation for one facility with the severity decoded, and ranks it against the other 338 rated facilities in the state.
How this works
Source and method
CMS Provider Data Catalog, Nursing Home Health Citations, current three inspection cycles for every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home in Massachusetts. Tags are matched to citations by CMS's standardized description. Tags with at least 50 national citations link to a detail page.
Counts describe survey findings, not a ranking of facilities. Facilities can dispute citations through CMS's IDR and IIDR processes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common nursing home citation in Massachusetts?
F656 (Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.) is the most-cited F-tag in Massachusetts, with 577 citations at 287 facilities, or 85% of the state's rated nursing homes, compared with 58% nationally.
How many nursing home citations are there in Massachusetts?
10,905 health citations across 339 of 338 rated nursing homes in the last three inspection cycles, about 32.3 per facility. 486 involved actual harm and 99 were immediate jeopardy.
Why do citation patterns differ by state?
Each state survey agency inspects on behalf of CMS with its own staffing, training, and priorities, and state licensing rules layer on top of the federal requirements. Compare a facility with others in the same state rather than with the national average.
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