Ketchikan Med Ctr: Resident Dignity Violations - AK
That is what inspectors found during a September 2025 complaint investigation at Ketchikan Med Ctr New Horizons Transitional Care, a PeaceHealth-operated facility on Tongass Avenue.
The resident council meeting took place on July 23, 2025. According to the Chief Nursing Officer, who was present that day, the administrator told the visitors they could not stay. The CNO told inspectors she personally witnessed several residents say they wanted the visitors to remain.
One of those visitors, identified in the inspection report as Visitor 3, told inspectors he or she had come specifically because residents wanted to voice concerns about activities. When the administrator saw the visitor, she said she didn't want the meeting to turn political. She asked Visitor 3 multiple times to leave. Visitor 3 left, not wanting to cause a disruption.
The facility's own written policies stated that residents have the right to visitors of their choosing, at any time. The visitation policy, dated January 2025, specified that residents may visit with resident advocates and that visitation is resident-centered. The resident rights form available to all residents guaranteed the right to organize and participate in resident and family groups, and to exercise rights without interference, coercion, or reprisal.
The resident council policy, dated January 2025, described its purpose as promoting resident empowerment and giving residents a voice about their care. Inspectors noted that the same policy contained no language permitting residents to invite visitors to council meetings, despite that being an established resident right.
Inspectors cited the deficiency as affecting many residents, with potential for harm.
The residents who wanted their invited guests in the room that July afternoon were told, in effect, that the administrator's comfort with the meeting outweighed their right to choose who sat beside them.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Ketchikan Med Ctr New Horizons Transitional Care from 2025-09-09 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: August 4, 2026 · Our methodology
KETCHIKAN MED CTR NEW HORIZONS TRANSITIONAL CARE in KETCHIKAN, AK was cited for violations during a health inspection on September 9, 2025.
The resident council meeting took place on July 23, 2025.
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.