Most Falmouth Nursing Homes Pass First Round Of State Checks

FALMOUTH, MA — Two of Falmouth's three long-term care facilities were deemed "in adherence" in the first round of inspections by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The only nursing home to be labeled "not in adherence" was the Royal Nursing Center. While the facility scored 26 out of a possible 28, it was found to not comply with at least one of the six core areas outlined in the state inspection checklist. Facilities had to score at least 20 points and meet standards in the six core areas.

Statewide, 12 nursing homes scored under the 20-point threshold, while 119 scored 20 points but failed in one of the six core standards, meaning they were also found to be in noncompliance. The remaining 228 nursing homes scored 20 points or higher, including meeting the six core standards.

The inspections were the first in the COVID-19 Nursing Facility Accountability and Support Program announced by Gov. Charlie Baker on April 27. The audits, which are funded by $130 million the Baker administration allocated to slow the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes, will be conducted every two weeks.

The state didn't release a breakdown of scores for individual nursing homes showing where they failed to comply with the standards laid out in the program's compliance checklist.

The Falmouth nursing homes included in the report that were listed as being "in adherence" were:

• Royal Megansett Nursing & Rehabilitation, 28 points
• JML Care Center, 28 points

Long-term care facilities account for 61 percent coronavirus-related deaths in Massachusetts. Of the states 88,970 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, 18,801 were either patients or workers in long-term care facilities.

Read the complete nursing home inspection report.