Willows Center: Grievance Rights Violations - WV
The medical power of attorney for Resident 46 told inspectors the facility had transported her family member to appointments "more than once without notifying her in advance." The first incident occurred in October 2024, followed by two more concerning episodes on January 9 and January 29, 2025.
On both January dates, she said the van driver "dropped him off without making sure she was there for him." After each incident, she called and complained directly to the facility's Director of Nursing.
But when inspectors reviewed the facility's grievance log on October 28, 2025, they found no record of any complaints from Resident 46's representative related to those dates. The facility's own grievance policy states that the grievance officer "will oversee grievances through conclusion leading any necessary investigations by the facility, issuing written decisions to the patient, and coordinating with state and federal agencies."
None of that happened.
The Corporate Coordinator acknowledged during an interview that "the grievances were not logged into the grievance log" and could not provide inspectors with a completed grievance form or any documentation of an investigation. He admitted the facility "should have made sure Resident's MPOA was notified of Resident #46's appointments and that the resident was left at the appointments without staff present."
Facility records confirmed the transportation incidents occurred as the family member described. Progress notes and transfer appointment logs verified that Resident 46 was indeed transported to appointments on January 9 and January 29, 2025. The progress notes stated the resident "was transferred with staff present," but the family's account suggested a different reality at the appointment destinations.
The January 29 incident revealed additional problems with the facility's transportation practices. The Corporate Coordinator provided inspectors with an employee statement from the van driver, dated February 8, 2025. According to that statement, the driver "became ill after dropping resident #46 off, notified the facility, and left to go to the local emergency room."
This left Resident 46 stranded at a medical appointment without facility staff supervision and without advance notice to the family member who held medical power of attorney.
The Corporate Coordinator could provide no information or statements about what happened during the January 9 appointment incident, despite the family's complaint about that date as well.
The pattern revealed a facility that not only failed to properly coordinate resident transportation but also ignored a family's repeated attempts to address safety concerns through official channels. Federal regulations require nursing homes to establish grievance policies and make "prompt efforts to resolve grievances" while ensuring residents and their representatives can voice concerns "without discrimination or reprisal."
At Willows Center, a 91-bed facility on Summers Street, those protections existed only on paper. When a family member tried multiple times to address what she saw as unsafe transportation practices, her complaints disappeared into a system that never bothered to document them, investigate them, or respond to them.
The facility's grievance officer, tasked with overseeing complaints "through conclusion," apparently never learned these grievances existed. The Director of Nursing, who received the family's direct complaints, never ensured they entered the formal grievance process.
Meanwhile, Resident 46 continued to be transported to medical appointments under the same problematic conditions that had prompted the original complaints. The facility's own records showed staff were "present" during transfers, but those same records couldn't account for what happened once residents reached their destinations or whether families received the advance notice they needed to provide proper support.
The family member's persistence in calling the facility directly after each incident demonstrated her commitment to her loved one's safety and proper care. The facility's failure to process those complaints through established channels demonstrated a breakdown in the most basic resident protection systems.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Willows Center from 2025-10-30 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: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
WILLOWS CENTER in PARKERSBURG, WV was cited for violations during a health inspection on October 30, 2025.
Progress notes and transfer appointment logs verified that Resident 46 was indeed transported to appointments on January 9 and January 29, 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.