University Care Center
5602 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105
University Care Center, a 87-bed for profit - corporation nursing facility in San Diego, CA, holds a 5-star CMS overall rating - well above the 3.0-star national average, ranking #198 of 1,154 rated homes in CA on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing above the national norm. No recent finding reached the actual-harm level.
CMS combines health inspections, nurse-staffing levels, and clinical quality measures into the overall star rating, read the components below; they often tell a sharper story than the headline.
Phone: 6195831993
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- 5 / 5
- Much above average · CMS overall · nat'l 3.0
- #198 of 1,154
- In-state rank among rated CA homes
- 4.04
- About average · nurse hrs/day · nat'l 3.86
- 42
- Inspection findings
The verdict
University Care Center, a 87-bed for profit - corporation nursing facility in San Diego, CA, holds a 5-star CMS overall rating - well above the 3.0-star national average, ranking #198 of 1,154 rated homes in CA on CMS overall stars (with health+staffing+quality tie-breaks), with nurse staffing above the national norm. No recent finding reached the actual-harm level.
- 5 / 5
- CMS overall · national 3.0
- #198 of 1,154
- In-state rank among rated CA homes
- 4.04
- Nurse hrs/resident-day · national 3.86
- 42
- Inspection findings on file
CMS force-curves overall stars within each state; read health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings alongside the headline.
In-state ownership mix · peer inventory
How 1,165 CA nursing homes split by ownership sector
This facility is recorded as For profit - Corporation. Sector buckets collapse CMS ownership_type into For-profit, Nonprofit, and Government, orthogonal to the RN/LPN/CNA hour bar below.
Health Inspection
Staffing
Quality Measures
Long-Stay Quality
Facility Information
- Provider Number
- 055328
- Ownership
- For profit - Corporation
- Provider Type
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Beds
- 87
- Residents
- 80
- In Hospital
- No
- County
- San Diego
- Last Inspection
- May 7, 2025
Staffing Data
How the 4.04 total nursing hours per resident-day are staffed:
- RN Hours
- 0.49 (nat'l avg: 0.69)
- LPN Hours
- 1.03
- CNA Hours
- 2.52
- Total Nursing Hours
- 4.04 (nat'l avg: 3.86)
- PT Hours
- 0.19
- Nursing Turnover
- 36.4%
- RN Turnover
- 0.0%
What the CMS Record Reveals About University Care Center
According to CMS Nursing Home Compare, University Care Center ranks #198 of 1,154 rated nursing homes in CA on overall stars (tie-broken by health+staffing+quality, then fewer fines). University Care Center operates 87 certified beds in San Diego, CA with approximately 80 residents currently in care, and carries a CMS overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars (health inspection 4★ · staffing 3★ · quality 5★).
The inspection file contains 42 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. Staffing is reported at 4.04 total nursing hours per resident day (national average 3.86), with RN coverage at 0.49 per resident day.
Classified as "For profit - Corporation" ownership and operating as a "Medicare and Medicaid" provider, University Care Center falls into a category where comparative context matters. Reported nursing staff turnover at this facility is 36.4% (CMS payroll-based measure).
Why sub-scores and the CMS methodology matter
The overall score is a composite of three weighted sub-ratings published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: health inspection results, staffing levels, and quality measures. 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.
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. The staffing metric in particular is the one most strongly tied to resident outcomes in peer-reviewed literature.
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 the same record on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state survey agency before making placement decisions.
Deficiency History (42 most recent)
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 29, 2025
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Category: Environmental Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Jun 4, 2025
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: Jun 4, 2025
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Feb 22, 2025
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: Feb 22, 2025
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Dec 13, 2024
Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Dec 13, 2024
Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Category: Environmental Deficiencies
Corrected: Jul 26, 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: Jul 12, 2024
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Apr 18, 2024
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Dec 19, 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: Dec 19, 2023
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Nov 24, 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: Nov 24, 2023
Ensure each resident must receive and the facility must provide necessary behavioral health care and services.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 26, 2023
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Aug 31, 2023
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Category: Environmental Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Category: Infection Control Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Designate a physician to serve as medical director responsible for implementation of resident care policies and coordination of medical care in the facility.
Category: Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Assist a resident in gaining access to vision and hearing services.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Category: Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Ensure necessary information is communicated to the resident, and receiving health care provider at the time of a planned discharge.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.
Category: Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Category: Administration Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 2023
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: Mar 16, 2023
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Category: Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Corrected: Mar 16, 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 16, 2023
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Category: Environmental Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 12, 2019
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: Sep 12, 2019
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Category: Resident Rights Deficiencies
Corrected: Sep 12, 2019
Quality Measures
| Measure | Type | Score | Used in Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased | Long Stay | 3.1% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder | Long Stay | 1.2% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection | Long Stay | 0.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury | Long Stay | 4.3% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened | Long Stay | 2.4% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers | Long Stay | 6.0% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication | Long Stay | 10.1% | Yes |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication | Short Stay | 0.8% | Yes |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight | Long Stay | 6.1% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms | Long Stay | 4.7% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained | Long Stay | 0.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Long Stay | 100.0% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication | Long Stay | 13.3% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Long Stay | 96.3% | No |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence | Long Stay | 3.9% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine | Short Stay | 98.5% | No |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine | Short Stay | 86.5% | No |
Penalty History
No penalties on record.
Nationwide facilities with similar scale or staffing
Two data-derived peer sets for University Care Center, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not the same-state geography list below.
Similar bed count
Nearest CMS certified bed counts outside CA (87 beds here).
Similar staffing hours
Nearest CMS adjusted total nurse hours per resident day outside CA (3.63 here).
Nearby Nursing Homes in CA
1,164 other nursing homes are on record in CA; 6 are shown here.
A Grace Sub Acute & Skilled Care
San Jose, CA
Acc Care Center
Sacramento, CA
Advanced Health Care of Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Advanced Rehab Center of Tustin
Santa Ana, CA
Adventist Health Delano
Delano, CA
Adventist Health Sonora - D/P SNF
Sonora, CA
Understanding Nursing Home Data
What the CMS records show for University Care Center
The health, staffing, and quality sub-ratings above often diverge from the CMS overall headline. Use those components and the inspection findings to read the full file, not the overall star alone.
- The CA registry aggregates state averages and the highest-rated homes in this cohort. View CA registry
- Peer homes near 87 beds show how CMS stars vary at a similar scale in CA. Compare a similar-size peer
- CMS publishes separate fields for inspections, nurse staffing hours, and quality measures; the guide explains how each star is computed. How CMS ratings work
CMS refreshes Nursing Home Compare quarterly (current extract: August 2026). PlainNursing describes published records; it does not establish suitability, availability, admissions, or individual outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall CMS rating for University Care Center?
Where does University Care Center rank among nursing homes in CA?
What are the staffing levels at University Care Center?
How many beds does University Care Center have?
Does University Care Center have any deficiencies on record?
Has University Care Center received any fines or penalties?
Who owns University Care Center?
When was University Care Center last inspected?
What quality measures are tracked for University Care Center?
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. Verify the same CCN on Medicare.gov Care Compare and with the facility or your state health department.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
