F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
D

QAPI Monitoring Deficiencies for Falls Assessments and Food Temperatures

Vantage At Lowell LlcLowell, Massachusetts Survey Completed on 06-04-2026

Summary

The facility failed to maintain an effective QAPI plan by not monitoring whether a falls assessment project was being completed and by not consistently tracking the temperature of food served to residents. The facility policy stated that data should be used to monitor policies, performance indicators should be reviewed against benchmarks or targets, and leaders should evaluate the QAPI program on an ongoing basis. The Administrator said a QAPI plan had been initiated in April 2026 for completion of falls assessments throughout the facility, with audits and monthly discussion at QAPI meetings, but he could not say whether the project was reviewed during the May 2026 meeting and could not provide follow-up audits or meeting notes. Corporate Nurse #1, the former DON, said falls assessments were not reviewed during the May monthly meetings and the facility could not provide measures of performance for that QAPI plan. Residents reported that food was consistently served cold, including breakfast meals, and Resident Council minutes documented complaints that food on trays and coffee were often cold. The QAPI plan for food temperatures identified that food temperatures had been below the target range, with a goal that all temperatures be within range. Although tray temperatures were audited weekly through 5/15/26 and May minutes stated food was much improved, later Resident Council minutes still stated that food was not being served at proper temperature and remained inconsistent. The Administrator said the food issue had persisted since the current food service company was put in place, that he did not feel the QAPI had been resolved, and that he was responsible for random temperature audits but was only checking one item on the tray, usually the meat.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0867 citations
QAPI Committee Failed to Correct Repeat Deficiencies
D
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

The facility QAPI committee failed to correct repeated quality deficiencies and did not ensure that plans to improve care and services effectively addressed them. A prior survey had cited the facility and included QAPI-related plans of correction, but the current survey found multiple repeat deficiencies, including F604, F609, F628, F700, F880, F883, and PA1020. The NHA confirmed the facility had multiple repeat deficiencies and had not corrected the quality issues.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
QAPI PIP for Pressure Ulcers Lacked Documented Interventions and Analysis
D
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

QAPI minutes showed an ongoing PIP for pressure ulcers, but the facility did not document clear interventions, data analysis, or a plan showing how it would reach its stated goals. The minutes contained inconsistent pressure ulcer entries, blank or incomplete PIP sections, and separate short-stay and long-stay references without explanation. The DON confirmed the facility had no documented analysis of the PIP and no laid-out plan for how the project would be carried out.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
QAPI Failed to Resolve Repeated Medication, Food Service, and Kitchen Compliance Deficiencies
D
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

The facility’s QAPI committee failed to resolve repeated deficiencies involving medication storage and labeling, food served at improper temperatures and not palatable, and staff not wearing hair coverings in the kitchen. Prior POCs called for audits and reporting to QAPI, but surveyors again cited the same issues under F761, F804, and F812 on the current survey.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
QAPI Committee Failed to Correct Repeated Deficiencies
D
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

A facility’s QAPI committee failed to correct recurring deficiencies involving a clean, homelike environment, pressure ulcer prevention, drug regimen reviews, safe food storage/preparation/service, and infection control. Prior plans of correction relied on audits and reporting to QAPI, but the same deficient practices were again cited in the current survey under F584, F686, F756, F812, and F880.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Address Ongoing Rodent Infestation in QAPI
F
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

Failure to Address Ongoing Rodent Infestation in QAPI: The facility did not use its QAPI process to address a known rodent problem. Rodent feces and traps were observed in resident rooms, dining and food areas, clean dish and linen areas, and other parts of the building. Interviews confirmed the infestation was ongoing, recommended structural repairs had not been made, the issue was not discussed in the QAPI meeting, and no education had been provided to residents or staff.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
QAPI Committee Failed to Track and Monitor Shower Room Deficiency
D
F0867 F867: Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Short Summary

QAPI failed to track and monitor a black debris issue in the 300-hall shower room. An observation found black debris in the shower’s inner bottom corners, and records showed the QAPI plan only listed environmental rounds monitored by the Administrator and Maintenance without further comments. The Maintenance Supervisor said he knew about the issue, had cleaned it, but did not document weekly rounds or findings, and the Administrator also said he did not document the weekly monitoring.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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