SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY
Over 2 years since last inspection. Current conditions may differ from available data.
Southern Springs Healthcare Facility has earned a Trust Grade of A+, indicating it is an elite facility with high standards of care. It ranks #28 out of 223 nursing homes in Alabama, placing it in the top half, and is the only option in Bullock County, highlighting its significance for local families. However, the facility's trend is concerning as it has worsened from zero issues in 2022 to one in 2023, indicating a decline in performance. Staffing is a relative strength with a 4 out of 5-star rating and a low turnover rate of 24%, significantly better than the state average of 48%, but it does have less RN coverage than 96% of state facilities, which could impact care quality. While there were no fines recorded, an incident involved a staff member failing to wash hands before entering the kitchen, which could pose infection risks, and another incident raised concerns about a staff member exploiting a resident for personal gain, highlighting some serious ethical issues that need to be addressed alongside their strong performance in other areas.
- Trust Score
- A+
- In Alabama
- #28/223
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ✓ Good
- 24% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 24 points below Alabama's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Alabama facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ⚠ Watch
- Each resident gets only 22 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — below average for Alabama. Fewer RN minutes means fewer trained eyes watching for problems.
- Violations ○ Average
- 7 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
-
4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
-
4-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
-
Low Staff Turnover (24%) · Staff stability means consistent care
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
-
Staff turnover is low (24%)
24 points below Alabama average of 48%
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, quality measures, staff retention, fire safety.
The Bad
No Significant Concerns Identified
This facility shows no red flags. Among Alabama's 100 nursing homes, only 1% achieve this.
The Ugly 7 deficiencies on record
Aug 2023
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0602
(Tag F0602)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interviews, review of the facility's policy titled, Abuse Prevention, and the Alabama Department of Public Health onlin...
Read full inspector narrative →
Apr 2019
2 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interview the facility failed to ensure the anticoagulation medication for Resident Identifier (RI) #...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, record review, interview and review of facility policies titled, Medication Administration Oral Medication...
Read full inspector narrative →
May 2018
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview, record review and review of a facility policy titled, Conducting an Accurate Resident Assessment, the facili...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0657
(Tag F0657)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure Resident Identifier (RI) #63's Skin Breakdown care plan was ...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observations, interviews and a review of facility policies titled, Cleaning Instructions: Food Preparation Appliances, and Handwashing Guidelines-Dietary Employees, the facility failed to ens...
Read full inspector narrative →
MINOR
(C)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Staffing Information
(Tag F0732)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
On 05/24/18 at 12:25 p.m., an interview was conducted with Employee Identifier (EI) #1, the Staffing Coordinator. The surveyor asked EI #1 what was the resident census for the evening shift on 05/22/1...
Read full inspector narrative →
Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade A+ (95/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Alabama.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Alabama facilities.
- • 24% annual turnover. Excellent stability, 24 points below Alabama's 48% average. Staff who stay learn residents' needs.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Southern Springs Healthcare Facility's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Alabama, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Southern Springs Healthcare Facility Staffed?
CMS rates SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 24%, compared to the Alabama average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Southern Springs Healthcare Facility?
State health inspectors documented 7 deficiencies at SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY during 2018 to 2023. These included: 6 with potential for harm and 1 minor or isolated issues.
Who Owns and Operates Southern Springs Healthcare Facility?
SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 123 certified beds and approximately 99 residents (about 80% occupancy), it is a mid-sized facility located in UNION SPRINGS, Alabama.
How Does Southern Springs Healthcare Facility Compare to Other Alabama Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Alabama, SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 3.0, staff turnover (24%) is significantly lower than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Southern Springs Healthcare Facility?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?"
Is Southern Springs Healthcare Facility Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 5-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in Alabama. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Southern Springs Healthcare Facility Stick Around?
Staff at SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY tend to stick around. With a turnover rate of 24%, the facility is 21 percentage points below the Alabama average of 46%. Low turnover is a positive sign. It means caregivers have time to learn each resident's needs, medications, and personal preferences. Consistent staff also notice subtle changes in a resident's condition more quickly. Registered Nurse turnover is also low at 25%, meaning experienced RNs are available to handle complex medical needs.
Was Southern Springs Healthcare Facility Ever Fined?
SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Southern Springs Healthcare Facility on Any Federal Watch List?
SOUTHERN SPRINGS HEALTHCARE FACILITY is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.