Report
TheVardellReport
Life Care Center of Elizabethton
Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
1641 Highway 19E
Elizabethton, TN 37643
Report
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The Vardell Report.Life Care Center of Elizabethton
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Nursing home
- Location
- Elizabethton, TN
- Record Period
- 2019–2026
- Source Documents
- 6
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 4 inspections from December 2019 to July 2026, state surveyors documented 19 findings at Life Care Center of Elizabethton; 19 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window.
- Inspections
- 4
- 2019–2026, standard and complaint
- Findings
- 19
- Deficiencies cited by state inspectors
- Corrected
- 19
- Of 19 findings, with a recorded correction date
- Penalties
- 1
- 1 fine; payment not published
Findings by Year
- Findings
- Of which, actual harm (level G or above)
* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.
| Year | Inspections | Findings | Of which, actual harm (level G or above) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
What the Record Shows
- 19 of 19 findings have a recorded correction date.
- CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window: 1 fine of $10,036, its payment not published.
- 1 visit in this window included a complaint investigation. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- The latest standard inspection, July 29, 2026, recorded 9 findings (most serious: Level F).
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Life Care Center of Elizabethton
- Address
- 1641 Highway 19E, Elizabethton, TN 37643
- CMS Certification Number
- 445302
- Provider Type
- Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
- Certified Beds
- 158
- Ownership
- For profit - Corporation
- Record Window
- December 10, 2019 to October 1, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every inspection in the record window, newest first. A finding is a deficiency an inspector cited. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- 2026
Standard health inspection
9 findings
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Level FNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F814Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.Level FNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F554Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F641Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F677Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
- F921Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 8, 2026
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
3 findings
- F684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.Level JImmediate jeopardyCorrected Dec 5, 2023
- F711Ensure the resident's doctor reviews the resident's care, writes, signs and dates progress notes and orders, at each required visit.Level JImmediate jeopardyCorrected Dec 5, 2023
- F756Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.Level JImmediate jeopardyCorrected Dec 5, 2023
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2023
Standard health inspection
7 findings
- F561Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F584Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F732Post nurse staffing information every day.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
- F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Nov 28, 2023
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $10,036 imposed February 29, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of November 14, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2019
Standard health inspection
No findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Severity levels follow the CMS scope and severity grid. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
No citation repeats across the 4 inspections in this window, and no finding is waiting on a verified correction. That is what the record shows; it is not a judgment of care. The questions that follow still apply.
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
How many nurses and aides are on each shift, including nights and weekends, for the unit we are considering?
No staffing citation appears in this window. Staffing levels are published separately by CMS and are worth asking about directly.
- 02
What led to the 2024 fine, and has it been paid?
A $10,036 civil money penalty was imposed February 29, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the Tennessee state survey agency.
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Tennessee state survey agency
Inspection Dec 10, 2019 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Tennessee state survey agency
Inspection Nov 14, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Tennessee state survey agency
Inspection Feb 29, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Tennessee state survey agency
Inspection Jul 29, 2026 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Penalties, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Provider Information, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 445302
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowDecember 10, 2019 – October 1, 2026
- CMS publishes about three inspection cycles; inspections before December 2019 are not in this release.
- CMS refreshes these files monthly, after statements of deficiencies are processed, so an inspection from the last two months may not appear yet.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Complaints not investigated onsite
- Allegations screened out by the state before an onsite visit are not published.
- Complaint allegations
- CMS publishes the deficiencies a complaint survey cited, not the allegation itself.
- Facility-reported incidents
- Self-reported incidents appear only if they led to an inspection.
- Follow-up visits
- CMS's files list standard, complaint and infection control surveys, not revisits; a correction date is the one CMS records.
- Fire safety inspections
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record yet.
- Staffing levels and ownership history
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record.
- Whether fines were paid
- CMS publishes the fines imposed, not whether or when they were paid.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.