Federal Nursing-Home Survey Record
Highlands, The
Does Highlands, The have a federal violation or abuse history?
According to the public federal record on file with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Highlands, The (CCN 225315), in FITCHBURG, MA, has federal inspection findings on its record.
In its current inspection cycle, CMS cited the facility for 7 deficiencies; the most serious carries scope/severity E on CMS's A–L scale — CMS's "potential for harm" tier, below actual harm. The most recent federal survey on file is dated 2025-11-25. Citations from earlier inspection cycles appear in the dated timeline below as historical findings, not current ones. This page restates the federal record as published by CMS and draws no conclusion of its own. Federal nursing-home surveys are conducted on a recurring cycle by state survey agencies acting on CMS's behalf, and the figures on this page are compiled from CMS's published provider data, as on file with CMS; the federal record may understate what actually occurred, and inspection findings are point-in-time survey results, not a determination that any specific resident was harmed.
The Federal Record
The most recent federal inspection on file records no actual-harm or immediate-jeopardy citations for this facility.
Below is this facility's federal survey record as on file with CMS.
Scope & Severity — current cycle
Overall CMS star rating: this facility vs the CMS-published state average
This facility: 4 · CMS state average: 3.1
Deficiency timeline — full federal history
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Provide or obtain laboratory tests/services when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results.
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
10 citations from earlier inspection cycles — historical, not current (expand)
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
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.
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Document what happened
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