ANTIOCH, TN - Federal health inspectors identified three deficiencies at Life Care Center of Hickory Woods during a standard health inspection completed on November 19, 2025, including a failure to keep resident assessments current on a quarterly basis as required by federal regulations.
Quarterly Assessment Requirements Not Met
The inspection found that Life Care Center of Hickory Woods was deficient under federal regulatory tag F0638, which requires nursing facilities to ensure that each resident's comprehensive assessment is updated no less than once every three months. This assessment, known as the Minimum Data Set (MDS), serves as the foundation for every aspect of a resident's care plan.
The MDS assessment is a standardized evaluation tool mandated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It captures detailed information about a resident's physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning. When these assessments fall behind schedule, the care plan guiding daily decisions about a resident's treatment, therapy, and support may be based on outdated clinical information.
The deficiency was classified at Scope/Severity Level D, meaning it was isolated in nature and did not result in documented actual harm. However, inspectors determined there was potential for more than minimal harm to residents — a designation indicating the gap posed real clinical risk.
Why Timely Assessments Are Medically Critical
Nursing home residents frequently experience changes in condition that can develop over days or weeks. Cognitive decline, weight fluctuations, changes in mobility, new skin integrity concerns, and shifts in medication tolerance are all conditions that quarterly assessments are specifically designed to detect.
When an assessment is not completed on schedule, staff may continue following a care plan that no longer reflects a resident's actual needs. For example, a resident whose swallowing ability has deteriorated may continue receiving a regular diet instead of modified textures, increasing aspiration risk. A resident experiencing early-stage pressure injury development may not receive the repositioning schedule or wound care interventions that an updated assessment would trigger.
The quarterly reassessment also evaluates pain levels, fall risk, behavioral health status, and nutritional needs. Each of these areas requires ongoing monitoring because a resident's baseline can shift significantly within a 90-day window, particularly among individuals with multiple chronic conditions.
Federal Standards and Facility Obligations
Under 42 CFR § 483.20, Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities must conduct comprehensive resident assessments upon admission, following a significant change in condition, and at regular quarterly intervals. These requirements exist because clinical evidence demonstrates that routine reassessment leads to earlier detection of declining conditions and more appropriate care interventions.
The assessment process is not merely a paperwork exercise. It is designed to drive individualized care planning, ensuring that staffing assignments, therapy orders, dietary modifications, and behavioral health supports are aligned with each resident's current condition. Facilities that allow assessments to lapse risk delivering care based on an incomplete clinical picture.
Three Total Deficiencies Identified
The assessment update failure was one of three deficiencies cited during the November 2025 inspection. The presence of multiple findings suggests broader compliance challenges within the facility's care planning and quality assurance processes.
Life Care Center of Hickory Woods reported a correction date of December 29, 2025, indicating the facility acknowledged the deficiency and implemented corrective measures within approximately six weeks of the inspection. The status was listed as "Deficient, Provider has date of correction."
What Families Should Know
Family members of nursing home residents can request information about their loved one's most recent MDS assessment and care plan at any time. Facilities are required to involve residents and their representatives in the care planning process, and any changes to the care plan should be communicated promptly.
Residents and families who have concerns about whether assessments are being completed on schedule can contact the Tennessee Long-Term Care Ombudsman or file a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Health. Federal inspection reports, including the full findings from this survey, are available through the CMS Care Compare website.
The full inspection report for Life Care Center of Hickory Woods contains additional details about all three deficiencies identified during the November 2025 survey.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Life Care Center of Hickory Woods from 2025-11-19 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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