Highlands, The
Open-data reference.
Highlands, The is a for profit - limited liability company facility in FITCHBURG, MA with 168 certified beds and a 4-star overall CMS rating. The facility has 12 deficiency records on file.
335 NICHOLS ROAD, FITCHBURG, MA 01420
Phone: 9783434411
Overall Rating
Health Inspection
Staffing
Quality Measures
Long-Stay Quality
Facility Information
- Provider Number
- 225315
- Ownership
- For profit - Limited Liability company
- Provider Type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Beds
- 168
- Residents
- 155
- In Hospital
- No
- County
- Worcester
- Last Inspection
- Nov 25, 2025
Staffing Data
- RN Hours
- 0.46 (nat'l avg: 0.68)
- LPN Hours
- 1.07
- CNA Hours
- 2.48
- Total Nursing Hours
- 4.00 (nat'l avg: 3.89)
- PT Hours
- 0.09
- Nursing Turnover
- 30.8%
- RN Turnover
- 48.0%
What the CMS Record Reveals About Highlands, The
Highlands, The operates 168 certified beds in FITCHBURG, MA with approximately 155 residents currently in care, and carries a CMS overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. The overall score is a composite of three weighted sub-ratings published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: health inspection results (3★), staffing levels (3★), and quality measures (5★). Because CMS caps the overall score at the health-inspection tier and then adjusts up or down based on staffing and quality, the sub-scores often tell a sharper story than the headline star count alone — a 3-star facility with weak inspection history reads differently from one held back by thin staffing.
The inspection file contains 12 deficiency records from recent surveys, all falling in the no-harm or minimal-harm bands of the CMS scope-and-severity grid. No fines or payment denials have been assessed against this provider, suggesting issues — if any — did not rise to the enforcement threshold. Staffing is reported at 4.00 total nursing hours per resident day (national average 3.89), with RN coverage at 0.46 per resident day — the single staffing metric most strongly tied to resident outcomes in peer-reviewed literature.
Classified as "For profit - Limited Liability company" ownership and operating as a "Medicare and Medicaid" provider, Highlands, The falls into a category where comparative context matters. National research consistently shows that ownership structure, staffing hours, and turnover are the three operational levers that correlate most strongly with resident outcomes — ratings and fines are lagging indicators of those upstream choices. Reported nursing turnover at this facility is 30.8%, within a range generally associated with stable care teams. For families evaluating this facility, the CMS record should be read alongside a site visit, direct conversation with current residents and their families, and review of the state health department's most recent inspection report — the star rating is a starting point, not a verdict. All data on this page is sourced from CMS Provider Data and the Nursing Home Compare program; always verify details directly with the facility or your state survey agency before making placement decisions.
Deficiency History (12 most recent)
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Category: Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 16, 2024
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Category: Nutrition and Dietary Deficiencies
Corrected: Apr 3, 2023
Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Apr 3, 2023
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Apr 3, 2023
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Apr 3, 2023
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 30, 2023
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 26, 2021
Quality Measures
| Measure | Type | Score | Used in Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 7.9% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight | Long Stay | 10.6% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 0.2% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 0.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms | Long Stay | 3.7% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained | Long Stay | 0.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 2.7% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Long Stay | 59.5% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Short Stay | 19.6% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 0.3% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 10.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication | Long Stay | 23.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Long Stay | 92.0% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Short Stay | 50.4% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 4.4% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence | Long Stay | 28.9% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 15.0% | Yes |
Penalty History
No penalties on record.
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County Health Data
Health outcomes, access, and quality metrics for Worcester on PlainHealth
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does Highlands, The have any deficiencies on record?
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Data Sources
Data source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Ratings, staffing, deficiency, quality measure, and penalty data are from CMS Provider Data. For informational purposes only. Always verify information directly with the facility or your state health department.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.