Hopkins Center: Call Bell Failures Left Residents Without Help - PA
That was Resident R39. She told inspectors on March 10, 2025, that the adaptive call bell had broken overnight and hadn't worked all day. When inspectors returned the next morning at 10:30 a.m., nothing had changed.
The unit manager on the second floor, a licensed nurse identified as Employee E10, confirmed the device was still broken when interviewed at 10:35 a.m. on March 11. Her explanation was that the facility had ordered parts for the specialty call bell because none of their sister facilities had that type of device. The parts had not yet arrived. R39 had no working way to summon help.
Down the hall, inspectors found a different problem with the same result.
Resident R63 told inspectors he didn't use his call bell much, and pointed to it during the interview. The cord was wound around the bedrails. The other end had been cut off and was lying on the floor. The severed cord attached to the plug was still sitting in the wall jack. When inspectors pressed the button, nothing happened. The call light on the ceiling outside his door didn't activate either, even after pressing the button multiple times.
A licensed nurse, Employee E26, was interviewed in the hallway at 11:30 a.m. and confirmed what was already obvious: the call bell was not working.
R63 said he doesn't use it much. That's not the same as not needing it.
The inspection covered 38 residents. Two had no working call bell. In R63's case, the cord had been physically cut at some point before inspectors arrived, with the severed piece left on the floor, and no one had replaced or repaired it. In R39's case, the device had been broken since the previous night, and more than 24 hours passed without a fix or a substitute.
Hopkins Center's own policy, revised in June 2021, states that all residents will have a call light or alternative communication device within reach at all times when unattended. The policy doesn't carve out an exception for specialty equipment that's hard to source, or for cords that have been cut.
The facility is operated under the Genesis Healthcare system. Inspectors cited three Pennsylvania code provisions: electrical requirements for existing construction, management standards, and nursing services obligations.
The deficiency was rated at the minimal harm level, meaning inspectors determined no resident was actually injured as a result. That classification reflects what was documented, not what could have happened on the night R39's device broke and she had no way to reach anyone, or during whatever stretch of time R63's cord sat cut on his floor before a federal inspector walked in and noticed it.
Call bells are not a comfort feature. For residents who cannot get out of bed, cannot shout loudly enough to be heard, or cannot move to the door, a working call bell is the difference between getting help and waiting to see if anyone comes. R39's adaptive device existed precisely because a standard call bell wasn't an option for her. When it broke, the facility's response was to order parts. She waited.
The inspection was completed March 13, 2025.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Hopkins Center from 2025-03-13 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
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Last verified: November 7, 2026 · Our methodology
HOPKINS CENTER in WYNCOTE, PA was cited for violations during a health inspection on March 13, 2025.
She told inspectors on March 10, 2025, that the adaptive call bell had broken overnight and hadn't worked all day.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.