Complaint Investigation

Sterling Care Bethesda

April 27, 2026 · Bethesda, MD · 5721 Grosvenor Lane

Citations 1

CMS Rating 3/5

Beds 200

Provider ID 215187

Healthcare Facility

Sterling Care Bethesda

Bethesda, MD · View full profile →

Source Document

Official CMS Inspection Report (Medicare.gov)

Downloaded from CMS/Medicare.gov. Reflects what state inspectors documented and does not include the facility's plan of correction, which is submitted separately. Facilities may have taken corrective actions since this report was released.

Inspection Summary

STERLING CARE BETHESDA in BETHESDA, MD — inspection on April 27, 2026.

Found 1 citation. Severity: Standard violations.

Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct within required timeframes. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns and are subject to follow-up verification.

Inspection Findings

FF0558

Resident Rights Deficiencies

condition.

This was evident for 1(Resident #156) of 1 resident reviewed for reasonable

diagnoses include Quadriplegia, Contracture of the lower legs and Contracture of the left elbow and wrist, was admitted to the facility in 2014.On 4/20/26 at 11:10 AM in an interview Resident #156 stated that their customized motorized wheelchair had been broken for several months, and the facility neither repaired nor provided a substitute motorized wheelchair. As a result, the resident was unable to move around in the facility.The surveyor interviewed the Director of Rehab on 4/21/26 at 2:10 PM.

She stated that the wheelchair had been broken since last year. On 09/26/25, the vendor submitted invoices totaling $441.34 for the repairs.

However, the facility did not pay the invoices, which resulted in the wheelchair remaining inoperable.On 4/22/26 at 8:30 AM, the Director of Nursing (DON) stated that the facility did not repair the wheelchair because the resident's condition had declined, and the resident was no longer capable of operating a motorized wheelchair.A review of the resident's clinical record on 4/22/26 at 1:00 PM revealed Resident #156 was assessed by Rehab on 4/13/26 and deemed on that date to be incapable of using a motorized wheelchair.

The clinical records did not reveal that the resident was incapable of using a motorized wheelchair prior to 4/13/26.On 04/22/26 at 2:15 PM, the Director of Rehab stated that she also checked the clinical records and confirmed the surveyor's findings.

Further, the surveyor noted Resident #156's motorized wheelchair had been broken since 09/26/25.

The clinical record also lacked documentation to indicate that the facility provided a substitute motorized wheelchair during the inoperable period.On 04/27/26 at 7:26 AM, the surveyor notified the DON of the findings.

Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided.

For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.

LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER TITLE (X6) DATE REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE

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 BETHESDA, MD, (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 STERLING CARE BETHESDA or from the state Department of Health. Reports include deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines.

More Reports

About This Inspection Report

Source: This inspection report was downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases nursing home inspection reports in bulk. The findings reflect what state surveyors documented in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies on the date of the inspection.

Plan of correction not included: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to their state survey agency and those responses may not appear in CMS public data at the time of release. The absence of a plan of correction in this report does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken by the facility are encouraged to contact the facility or their state survey agency directly.

Corrections may have been made: This report reflects conditions observed on the date of the survey. The facility may have implemented staffing changes, additional training, policy revisions, or other corrective actions since this report was issued. We publish what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.