Below average — CMS composite of the measures below.
The next survey window likely opens around May 2027
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of October 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Buchanan Healthcare Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
Expired and unlabeled food items were found in unit refrigerators and freezers, including sandwich slices removed from original packaging without a food name, expired Ensure bottles in a unit mini fridge, and two undated, unsealed sandwiches in a hall pantry refrigerator. Staff interviews showed inconsistent understanding of labeling and expiration practices, and responsibility for checking unit food storage was shared among dietary, nursing, housekeeping, and maintenance staff.
Staff failed to follow infection control procedures while handling soiled linen in the laundry area. A Laundry Aide stated gloves and an apron were required, but she could not produce an apron and was unsure where it was located, and the Maintenance Director also did not know where the aprons were. The dirty laundry area had a posted sign requiring protective gloves and an apron, and the Laundry Aide said she transferred soiled linens from clear garbage bags into the soiled laundry bin using utility gloves. The facility policy required a fluid-resistant apron and appropriate gloves when handling or processing soiled laundry.
A resident with generalized muscle weakness and muscle wasting/atrophy was repeatedly observed resting in her room with the call light lying on the floor and out of reach. CNAs entered the room on multiple occasions but did not place the call light within reach, and an LPN later confirmed the resident could not reach it. The DON stated that a call light on the ground was not acceptable, and the facility policy required all residents to have a functioning call light within reach.
A resident's wheelchair was found with significant dirt and debris build-up, indicating a failure in maintaining sanitary conditions. The resident, with moderately compromised cognition, could not recall any cleaning of her wheelchair. Interviews with staff revealed unclear responsibilities for wheelchair cleaning, with the Maintenance Director and DON acknowledging the oversight. Despite the facility's Guardian Angel program, documentation showed no issues with the wheelchair, highlighting a gap in monitoring practices.
The facility failed to complete Significant Change Assessments for two residents who were receiving hospice services. One resident was admitted to hospice services without the required assessment, and the MDS Coordinator admitted to not completing these assessments for hospice residents. This oversight indicates a systemic issue in the facility's assessment process.
A resident with a G-tube did not receive the prescribed 100 cc of water before and after each bolus feeding, as an LPN administered only 30 cc. The LPN did not verify the physician's order, and the DON confirmed the error, indicating a failure to follow facility policy on enteral feeding.
Expired and Unlabeled Food Stored in Unit Refrigerators and Freezers
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that potentially hazardous foods were discarded after their expiration dates and properly labeled in three of seven refrigerators and freezers. During observation of the basement storage area, sandwich slices were found stored out of the box and dated as received on 04/03/2026, with a manufacturer use-by date of 06/14/2026, but the items were not marked with the food name after being removed from the original packaging. In the pantry area at the Nurses' Station, two expired 8 oz vanilla Ensure bottles with a use-by date of 04/01/2026 were observed inside the unit mini fridge, and an open case of Ensure with the same use-by date was also on the counter. In the hall pantry next to the Nurses' Station, two undated and unsealed sandwiches were observed in paper sleeves inside a small refrigerator on two separate observations. The facility policy required refrigerated items to be labeled, dated, and covered with a use-by date, and the frozen food policy required frozen foods to be properly labeled, dated, stored, and rotated. Interviews with dietary and nursing staff showed that labeling and expiration monitoring were shared responsibilities, but staff gave differing descriptions of how dates were assigned and who was responsible for oversight of unit refrigerators and pantry items.
Failure to Follow PPE Requirements in Laundry Area
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure staff followed approved infection control procedures while handling soiled linen in one laundry area. During observation of the laundry room and a concurrent interview, the Laundry Aide stated that gloves and an apron were required when processing soiled laundry, but she could not produce an apron and said she was not sure where it was located. The Maintenance Director, who supervised the laundry, was present and also stated she did not know where the aprons were. Observation of the dirty area of the laundry showed a posted sign stating that protective gloves and an apron must be worn at all times while handling soiled linens. When asked about the soiled linen transfer, the Laundry Aide stated she moved soiled linens from clear garbage bags into the soiled laundry bin with her utility gloves. The Maintenance Director confirmed that facility policy required staff to wear a fluid-resistant apron and appropriate gloves when handling or processing soiled laundry.
Call Light Not Kept Within Reach
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that R8’s call light was within immediate reach. R8 had diagnoses including generalized muscle weakness and muscle wasting and atrophy. During multiple observations, R8 was found resting or lying down in her room with the call light lying on the floor and not reachable. On 06/16/2026 at 11:15 AM, the call light was on the floor when a CNA entered to assist with repositioning, but it was not placed within reach. On 06/17/2026 at 11:35 AM, R8 again stated she was not feeling well and was lying down, and the call light was again on the ground and out of reach when a CNA entered the room. On 06/18/2026 at 9:30 AM, R8 was again observed resting with the call light on the ground and out of reach. A CNA later confirmed that call lights should be attached to the bed and within reach, then retrieved the call light from the floor and placed it within reach. An LPN confirmed she had not noticed the call light was on the ground and could not be reached by R8. Another CNA confirmed a resident should always have the call light within reach, and the DON stated that a call light on the ground was not acceptable. The facility policy stated that all residents should have a functioning call light within reach.
Failure to Maintain Sanitary Conditions for Resident's Wheelchair
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a resident's wheelchair in a sanitary condition, as observed during a survey. The resident, identified as R18, had a moderately compromised cognitive status with a BIMS score of 12 and used a manual wheelchair. Observations on two separate occasions revealed a significant build-up of dirt and debris on the metal frame and wheel spokes of the wheelchair, as well as a thick layer of hair wrapped around the wheels. The resident could not recall if her wheelchair had ever been cleaned since her admission to the facility. Interviews with facility staff, including the Maintenance Director (MD) and the Director of Nursing (DON), revealed a lack of clarity and responsibility regarding the cleaning of resident wheelchairs. The MD confirmed the presence of dirt and debris on R18's wheelchair and stated that the night nurse staff were responsible for cleaning wheelchairs, although this was not a scheduled task. The DON indicated that all staff were responsible for ensuring wheelchairs were clean, and the facility's Guardian Angel program included rounds to check wheelchair cleanliness. However, documentation from these rounds consistently indicated no issues with R18's wheelchair, despite the observed deficiencies.
Failure to Complete Significant Change Assessments for Hospice Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to complete a Significant Change Assessment for two residents receiving hospice services, which is a requirement when there is a significant change in a resident's condition. Resident 5 was admitted to hospice services on November 30, 2024, but the facility did not conduct a Significant Change Assessment as part of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) process. Similarly, Resident 29 was admitted to hospice services on March 1, 2025, without a Significant Change Assessment being completed. An interview with the MDS Coordinator revealed that she had not been completing these assessments for residents placed on hospice services, indicating a systemic issue within the facility's assessment process. The facility's matrix showed that eight residents were receiving hospice services, suggesting that this oversight could potentially affect other residents as well.
Failure to Administer Prescribed Hydration via G-tube
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure adequate hydration for a resident with a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) as per the physician's orders. The physician's orders specified that the resident should receive 100 cc of water before and after each bolus feeding, five times per day. However, during an observation, it was noted that an LPN administered only 30 cc of water before and after the resident's bolus feeding instead of the prescribed 100 cc. The LPN admitted to not verifying the correct amount of water to be administered as per the physician's order. The Director of Nursing confirmed the discrepancy in the amount of water administered, acknowledging that the LPN did not follow the physician's orders. The facility's policy on administering medications through an enteral tube requires verification of physician's orders, which was not adhered to in this instance. This oversight resulted in the resident not receiving the prescribed hydration, highlighting a failure in following established procedures for enteral feeding and medication administration.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Buchanan
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Countryside Post Acute | 0.3 mi | ★★★★★ | 1 | 0 |
| Haralson Nsg & Rehab Center | 6.6 mi | ★★★★★ | 3 | 0 |
| Cedar Valley Nsg & Rehab Ctr | 15.1 mi | ★★★★★ | 0 | 0 |
| Rockmart Health | 16.2 mi | ★★★★★ | 1 | 0 |
| Cottages At Rockmart, The | 16.3 mi | ★★★★★ | 2 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release October 2026) and official state health department websites.