A health inspection is a survey of a nursing home conducted by a state survey agency under CMS rules. This is a general, neutral overview — CMS is the authoritative source.
Key points
✓State survey agencies conduct health inspections under CMS oversight.
✓Inspections check whether a facility meets federal requirements.
✓Results feed the CMS health-inspection rating and appear on Care Compare.
What a health inspection checks
A health inspection (survey) reviews whether a nursing home meets federal health and safety requirements across areas such as care, safety, and resident rights. Trained surveyors from the state agency observe care, review records, and speak with residents and staff. Where a facility does not meet a requirement, the surveyors record a deficiency (citation).
How results feed the ratings
Findings from recent inspections — including citations and their CMS severity levels — feed the CMS health-inspection star rating, which is one component of the overall rating. The guide on how to read nursing home inspection citations explains how to interpret individual findings.
Where results are published
CMS publishes inspection findings on the official Care Compare site. This site summarizes those CMS-reported findings; for the authoritative record, consult CMS.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CMS health inspection?▾
A survey of a nursing home conducted by a state survey agency under CMS rules, checking whether the facility meets federal health and safety requirements. Findings are recorded as deficiencies and published by CMS.
Who conducts nursing home health inspections?▾
Trained surveyors from the state survey agency, under CMS oversight. CMS publishes the results on Care Compare.
How does a health inspection affect the rating?▾
Recent inspection findings feed the CMS health-inspection star rating, one component of the overall rating. See the guide on how to read nursing home inspection citations.
Verify with official sources
SeniorCareRating.com organizes public CMS data and is not affiliated with CMS or any facility. Confirm current details on the official CMS Care Compare site and with the facility before making decisions.
SeniorCareRating.com summarizes public CMS data. It is not affiliated with CMS, Medicare.gov, or any nursing home. Data may lag current conditions. This is not medical, legal, or care-placement advice — always verify with official sources and qualified professionals.
