PORTLAND, OR — Mt. Tabor Health & Rehabilitation was cited for four deficiencies during a federal complaint investigation completed on November 20, 2025, including a failure to maintain an adequate infection prevention and control program. The facility has not submitted a plan of correction to address the findings.
Infection Prevention Program Found Lacking
Federal health inspectors determined that Mt. Tabor Health & Rehabilitation did not provide and implement an infection prevention and control program that met federal standards. The deficiency was cited under regulatory tag F0880, which requires skilled nursing facilities to maintain a comprehensive program designed to prevent, identify, and manage infections among residents and staff.
The citation carried a Scope/Severity Level D designation, meaning the deficiency 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 classification that signals real risk even in the absence of an adverse outcome.
Infection control programs in long-term care facilities are required to include surveillance of infections, implementation of standard and transmission-based precautions, staff training, antibiotic stewardship, and protocols for outbreak response. When any component of this system breaks down, residents face elevated risk of acquiring healthcare-associated infections.
Why Infection Control Is Critical in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable populations when it comes to infectious disease. The average nursing home resident is elderly, may have multiple chronic conditions, and often has a weakened immune system. These factors mean that infections which might be manageable in a younger, healthier individual can become life-threatening in a long-term care setting.
Healthcare-associated infections are one of the leading causes of illness and death in nursing homes nationwide. Common infections in these settings include urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, skin and soft tissue infections, and gastrointestinal illness. Proper infection control programs are the primary defense against the spread of these conditions.
A functioning infection prevention program typically includes hand hygiene protocols, proper use of personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning standards, isolation procedures for contagious residents, and regular staff education. Federal regulations under 42 CFR §483.80 mandate that every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing facility designate an infection preventionist and maintain an active, facility-wide program.
No Correction Plan on File
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the citation is that Mt. Tabor Health & Rehabilitation has not filed a plan of correction with regulators. When a facility is cited for a deficiency, it is expected to submit a detailed plan outlining the specific steps it will take to correct the problem and prevent recurrence, along with a timeline for completion.
The absence of a correction plan means there is no documented commitment from the facility to address the identified gap in its infection control practices. This leaves residents, families, and regulators without assurance that the conditions leading to the citation are being remedied.
Facilities that fail to submit or implement adequate correction plans may face escalating enforcement actions, which can include civil monetary penalties, denial of payment for new admissions, or in serious cases, termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Four Total Deficiencies Identified
The infection control citation was one of four deficiencies identified during the November 2025 complaint investigation. The inspection was initiated in response to a complaint rather than as part of a routine annual survey, which indicates that concerns about conditions at the facility had been raised prior to the inspection.
Multiple deficiencies found during a single complaint investigation can suggest broader systemic issues within a facility's operations. While a Level D severity rating indicates the problems were isolated, the combination of multiple citations and the lack of a correction plan warrants continued scrutiny.
What Families Should Know
Family members of current and prospective residents can review the full inspection findings for Mt. Tabor Health & Rehabilitation through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Care Compare website. This federal database provides detailed information about nursing home inspections, staffing levels, quality measures, and overall star ratings.
Families are encouraged to ask facility administrators directly about the steps being taken to address cited deficiencies, particularly regarding infection prevention protocols and staff training programs.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Mt. Tabor Health & Rehabilitation from 2025-11-20 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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