State surveyors inspected 20 of Alabama's 224 nursing homes in the 12 months from August 2025 through July 2026 and cited 162 health deficiencies, according to CMS's nursing home health citation file, processed September 1, 2026. The most cited was F689, which CMS words as “ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents”, at 11 of those buildings (55%). 23 of the citations were immediate jeopardy, the most serious level CMS has.
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Alabama, the 12 months from August 2025 through July 2026, from CMS's nursing home health citation file.
August 2025 through July 2026. Source: CMS's nursing home health citation file, processed September 1, 2026.
| Rank | Tag | Citations | Buildings cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents | 13 | 11 (55%) |
| 2 | F600Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody | 12 | 11 (55%) |
| 3 | F609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities | 8 | 8 (40%) |
| 4 | F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards | 7 | 7 (35%) |
| 5 | F740Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services | 7 | 6 (30%) |
| 6 | F607Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft | 6 | 6 (30%) |
| 7 | F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program | 6 | 6 (30%) |
| 8 | F684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals | 6 | 5 (25%) |
| 9 | F578Honor 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 | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 10 | F584Honor 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 | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 11 | F628Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 12 | F803Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 13 | F835Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 14 | F867Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action | 4 | 4 (20%) |
| 15 | F695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed | 3 | 3 (15%) |
| 16 | F755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist | 3 | 3 (15%) |
| 17 | F814Dispose of garbage and refuse properly | 3 | 3 (15%) |
| 18 | F577Allow residents to easily view the nursing home's survey results and communicate with advocate agencies | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 19 | F580Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 20 | F602Protect each resident from the wrongful use of the resident's belongings or money | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 21 | F644Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 22 | F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 23 | F677Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 24 | F688Provide 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 | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 25 | F692Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| Rank | Tag | Citations | Buildings cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | F697Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 27 | F698Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 28 | F700Try 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 | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 29 | F761Ensure 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 | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 30 | F801Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 31 | F804Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 32 | F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards | 2 | 2 (10%) |
| 33 | F710Obtain a doctor's order to admit a resident and ensure the resident is under a doctor's care | 2 | 1 (5%) |
| 34 | F558Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 35 | F572Give residents a notice of rights, rules, services and charges | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 36 | F576Ensure residents have reasonable access to and privacy in their use of communication methods | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 37 | F582Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 38 | F585Honor 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 | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 39 | F604Ensure that each resident is free from the use of physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 40 | F605Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 41 | F635Provide doctor's orders for the resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 42 | F641Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 43 | F645PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 44 | F655Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 45 | F658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 46 | F676Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 47 | F678Provide basic life support, including CPR, prior to the arrival of emergency medical personnel , subject to physician orders and the resident’s advance directives | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 48 | F686Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 49 | F690Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 50 | F725Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 51 | F732Post nurse staffing information every day | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 52 | F745Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 53 | F757Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 54 | F759Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 55 | F806Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 56 | F808Ensure therapeutic diets are prescribed by the attending physician and may be delegated to a registered or licensed dietitian, to the extent allowed by State law | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 57 | F809Ensure meals and snacks are served at times in accordance with resident’s needs, preferences, and requests. Suitable and nourishing alternative meals and snacks must be provided for residents who want to eat at non-traditional times or outside of scheduled meal times | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 58 | F813Have a policy regarding use and storage of foods brought to residents by family and other visitors | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 59 | F837Establish a governing body that is legally responsible for establishing and implementing policies for managing and operating the facility and appoints a properly licensed administrator responsible for managing the facility | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 60 | F841Designate a physician to serve as medical director responsible for implementation of resident care policies and coordination of medical care in the facility | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 61 | F847Inform resident or representatives choice to enter into binding arbitration agreement and right to refuse | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 62 | F851Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 63 | F887Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 64 | F908Keep all essential equipment working safely | 1 | 1 (5%) |
| 65 | F921Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public | 1 | 1 (5%) |
A tag is ranked by how many times it was cited. “Buildings cited” counts the inspected buildings that drew the tag at least once, and its percentage is of every building inspected; we print a percentage only where 20 or more buildings were inspected. “Rank a year earlier” is the same ranking over August 2024 through July 2025. CMS publishes citations months after the survey, so the newest months are still filling in: compare ranks across the two years, not counts. Immediate jeopardy is CMS severity J, K or L; actual harm is G, H or I. No building is named on this page: open a building for its own inspections.
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