Avalon Care Center At Northpointe
AVALON CARE CENTER AT NORTHPOINTE in SPOKANE, WA — inspection on September 17, 2025.
Found 2 citations. 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
04/01/2025, then 70mg daily starting 04/02/2025.
Further review showed the actual dose of methadone given to Resident 1 was 50mg daily each day from 04/01/2025 to 04/07/2025. In an interview on 07/22/2025 at 2:10 PM, Staff A, Director of Nursing, stated after Resident 1's suspected overdose on 03/28/2025 the facility received orders from the OTP to taper the resident's methadone dose back up to 70mg daily, but the order was changed to 50mg daily by Staff B, Physician Assistant.
Staff A stated Staff B gave a verbal order for the dose change due to recommendations by the resident's hepatology clinic (branch of medicine that focuses on diseases affecting the liver, gall bladder, bile ducts, and pancreas) to reduce or eliminate the methadone use on 04/02/2025.Review of Resident 1's April 2025 Medication Administration Record showed facility staff administered 50mg of methadone to the resident daily from 04/01/2025 to 04/12/2025, except for 04/08/2025 when the resident received their methadone during their appointment at the OTP. On 05/30/2025 at 2:55 PM Collateral Contact 1 (CC1) stated when Resident 1's methadone vials were returned to the OTP in April 2025 the vials should have been empty, but instead still had dose amounts remaining.
Per CC1 the facility did not report giving the resident less methadone than ordered by the OTP until the OTP staff asked about the remaining dose amounts.In an interview on 07/22/2025 at 12:52 PM, Staff D, Administrator, stated the facility did not have a specific policy related to residents who utilized an OTP, but the facility followed the OTP provider's orders for methadone use.
Staff D further stated that Resident 1's case was difficult due to medical providers at the hospital and other appointments expressing concerns with the resident's use of methadone with their other underlying medical conditions.Review of a provider progress note dated 04/02/2025 showed Resident 1 was to continue receiving 70mg of methadone daily and that Staff B would follow-up with the resident through the next several days regarding the hepatology team's recommendations.
There was no documentation the OTP was consulted about the resident's methadone dose and/or attempts to coordinate care between the OTP medical provider(s) and the resident's hepatology provider(s).Staff B was not available for interview during the course of the survey.In an interview on 09/17/2025 at 3:53 PM, Staff C, Medical Director, stated which type of medical provider was responsible for managing methadone doses was dependent upon the resident's diagnosis.
Per Staff C, if methadone was used for pain facility providers could adjust the dose, but if the methadone was used for OUD then the facility should send the resident to the OTP for dosing.
Staff C stated if there were multiple types of providers involved in a resident's care who disagreed on treatment, they would coordinate with the various providers directly.
Staff C clarified they were not the medical director during April 2025 and had no additional information related to Resident 1's methadone order changes.Reference: (WAC) 388-97-1060 (3)(k)(iii)
Facility ID:
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:
A.
Building
COMPLETED
09/17/2025
STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE
Avalon Care Center at Northpointe
9827 North Nevada Spokane, WA 99218
SUMMARY STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
the resident daily from 04/01/2025 to 04/12/2025, except for 04/08/2025 when the resident received their methadone during their appointment at the OTP.
Further review showed no record of coordination with the opioid treatment program provider to change dosage of MOUD. On 05/30/2025 at 2:55 PM Collateral Contact 1 (CC1) stated when Resident 1's methadone vials were returned to the OTP in April 2025 the vials should have been empty, but instead still had dose amounts remaining.
Per CC1 the facility did not report giving the resident less methadone than ordered by the OTP until the OTP staff asked about the remaining dose amounts.In an interview on 07/22/2025 at 12:52 PM, Staff D, Administrator, stated the facility did not have a specific policy related to residents who utilized an OTP, but the facility followed the OTP provider's orders for methadone use.
Staff D further stated that Resident 1's case was difficult due to medical providers at the hospital and other appointments expressing concerns with the resident's use of methadone with their other underlying medical conditions.Review of a provider progress note dated 04/02/2025 showed Resident 1 was to continue receiving 70mg of methadone daily and that Staff B would follow-up with the resident through the next several days regarding the hepatology team's recommendations.
There was no documentation the OTP was consulted about the resident's methadone dose and/or attempts to coordinate care between the OTP medical provider(s) and the resident's hepatology provider(s).Staff B was not available for interview during the course of the survey.In an interview on 09/17/2025 at 3:53 PM, Staff C, Medical Director, stated which type of medical provider was responsible for managing methadone doses was dependent upon the resident's diagnosis.
Per Staff C, if methadone was used for pain facility providers could adjust the dose, but if the methadone was used for OUD then the facility should send the resident to the OTP for dosing.
Staff C stated if there were multiple types of providers involved in a resident's care who disagreed on treatment, they would coordinate with the various providers directly.
Staff C clarified they were not the medical director during April 2025 and had no additional information related to Resident 1's methadone order changes.Reference: (WAC) 388-97-1060 (3)(k)(iii)
Facility ID: