Sabino Canyon Rehabilitation & Care Center
Inspection Findings
F-Tag F0628
F 0628 Level of Harm - Minimal harm or potential for actual harm Residents Affected - Few
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99) Previous Versions Obsolete
still provide therapy services. She added that the facility does not discharge residents while the appeal is pending but they do explain to residents that they might be responsible for the costs of services provided past the coverage date if the appeal is denied. Staff #63 indicated that Resident #32 appealed her discharge on [DATE REDACTED] and the facility was notified of the outcome of the appeal on September 29, 2025. Staff #63 was not able to identify why Resident #32 was discharged a day before her planned discharge date of September 28, 2025. She also acknowledged that she had no way of knowing if Resident #32 discharged
on her own the day before because there was no progress note indicating that.An interview was conducted
on October 22, 2025 at 9:02 A.M. with Director of Nursing (DON/Staff #8). Staff #8 explained that the NOMNCs are issued to residents and they are then informed of when their discharge date is. However, there is a process for appeals if a resident wants to appeal the discharge and residents are informed that
they are able to stay at the facility while the appeal is being processed. Staff #8 added that residents are informed that might have to private pay (pay out of pocket) a day or two while the appeal is going through if
the appeal is denied. She also indicated that residents are able to discharge, if they wanted to, while the appeal is pending. Staff #8 explained that Resident #32 was issued a NONMNC on September 25, 2025 and the last date of service was September 27, 2025 and she was set to discharge on [DATE REDACTED]. She added that resident #32 appealed the discharge on [DATE REDACTED]. Staff #8 was asked to read the discharge policy and
she indicated that the policy stated the resident was not to be discharged if there was an appeal. Staff #8 indicated that Resident #32 was alert and oriented and could have left the faciity on her own free will.
However, she was not able to provide documentation that Resident #32 left the faciity on her own. Staff #8 shared that the risk to the resident, if they are discharged while an appeal is pending, is that the resident could be unsafe.Review of the policy titled, Criteria for Transfer and Discharge, indicated that it was last revised in October 2024. Section 2 of the policy states If the resident exercises his or her right to appeal a transfer or discharge notice, the Facility shall not transfer or discharge the resident while the appeal is pending, unless the failure to discharge or transfer would endanger the health or safety of the resident.
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SABINO CANYON REHABILITATION & CARE CENTER in TUCSON, AZ inspection on recent inspection.
Found 0 violation(s). Severity: Standard violations. Status: 0 corrected, 0 pending.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an F-tag violation?
- F-tags are federal deficiency codes used by CMS to categorize nursing home violations. Each F-tag corresponds to a specific federal regulation (42 CFR Part 483). For example, F607 relates to abuse prevention policies, F880 relates to infection control.
- Were these violations corrected?
- Facilities must submit plans of correction and implement changes within required timeframes. CMS conducts follow-up inspections to verify corrections. Check the inspection report for specific correction dates and follow-up verification status.
- How often do nursing home inspections happen?
- CMS conducts unannounced inspections of all Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes at least once per year. Additional inspections may occur based on complaints, facility-reported incidents, or follow-up to verify previous violations were corrected.
- What should families do about these violations?
- Families should: (1) Review the full inspection report for details, (2) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspections, (4) Compare with other facilities in TUCSON, AZ, (5) Report new concerns to state authorities.
- Where can I see the full inspection report?
- Complete inspection reports are available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request copies directly from SABINO CANYON REHABILITATION & CARE CENTER or from the state Department of Health. Reports include deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines.