CEDARS HEALTH CENTER
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Cedars Health Center in Tupelo, Mississippi, has a Trust Grade of B+, which indicates it is above average and recommended for families considering care options. It ranks #7 out of 200 facilities in the state, placing it in the top half overall, and it is the best option among the four facilities in Lee County. The facility is showing positive trends, improving from 7 issues in 2024 to just 1 in 2025, and it has no fines on record, which is a good sign of compliance. Staffing is also a strength, with a 5-star rating and a turnover rate of 45%, which is below the state average, suggesting staff stability. However, there are some concerns, including incidents where a resident was not adequately supervised and another where a resident’s wheelchair was in disrepair, indicating potential safety risks. Overall, while there are notable strengths, families should be aware of these weaknesses when considering care for their loved ones.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In Mississippi
- #7/200
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ⚠ Watch
- 45% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Mississippi facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- Each resident gets 35 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — about average for Mississippi. RNs are the most trained staff who monitor for health changes.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
5-Star Staffing Rating · Excellent nurse staffing levels
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.
The Bad
Near Mississippi avg (46%)
Higher turnover may affect care consistency
The Ugly 16 deficiencies on record
May 2025
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
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff, and resident, caregiver, and responsible party interviews, record review, and facility policy review the facilit...
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Aug 2024
6 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Safe Environment
(Tag F0584)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, staff and resident interview, record review and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure a re...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Assessment Accuracy
(Tag F0641)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on staff interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to accurately submit information into the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment system for one (1) of 26 residents ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to implement a comprehensive care plan for a resident that required the use of Enhanced Barrier Pr...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
ADL Care
(Tag F0677)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to provide the necessary assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for a resident dependen...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Unnecessary Medications
(Tag F0759)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure the medication error rate was less than five (5) % (percent) for two (2) of 28 medicatio...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interviews, record review, and facility policy review the facility failed to prevent the possibility of the spread of infection as evidenced by failing to ensure Enhanced B...
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Jul 2024
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
Free from Abuse/Neglect
(Tag F0600)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on staff interviews, Resident Representative (RR) interview, record review and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure that one (1) of five (5) sampled residents were protected fro...
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Apr 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Resident Rights
(Tag F0550)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, staff interview, record review, and facility policy review the facility failed to promote and maintain the...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0558
(Tag F0558)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, staff and resident interview, and record review the facility failed to provide a resident with an appropri...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0729
(Tag F0729)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on staff interview, record review and facility policy review the facility failed to ensure that a Certified Nurse Assistan...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview and facility policy review the facility failed to change gloves during wound care while going from a dirty site to a clean site and failed to perform hand hygiene...
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Feb 2020
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0645
(Tag F0645)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on staff interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to accurately screen a resident on a Pre-admission Screening (PAS) application for one (1) of 33 sampled reside...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, staff interview, record review and facility policy review, the facility failed to develop a care plan for ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, staff interview, and manufacturer's recommendation the facility failed to instruct the resident to rinse her mouth after use of a steroid inhaler, for one (1) of two (2) resident...
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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
On 02/10/2020 at 11:45 AM, during an initial tour of House #3 and interview with Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) #1, the following items were observed opened and undated:
- 1 bag of Cheerios
- 1 box of Yel...
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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 B+ (85/100). Above average facility, better than most options in Mississippi.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most Mississippi facilities.
- • 16 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
About This Facility
What is Cedars's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns CEDARS HEALTH CENTER an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, which is considered much above average nationally. Within Mississippi, 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 Cedars Staffed?
CMS rates CEDARS HEALTH CENTER's staffing level at 5 out of 5 stars, which is much above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 45%, compared to the Mississippi average of 46%. This relatively stable workforce can support continuity of care.
What Have Inspectors Found at Cedars?
State health inspectors documented 16 deficiencies at CEDARS HEALTH CENTER during 2020 to 2025. These included: 16 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Cedars?
CEDARS HEALTH CENTER is owned by a non-profit organization. Non-profit facilities reinvest revenue into operations rather than distributing to shareholders. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 140 certified beds and approximately 132 residents (about 94% occupancy), it is a mid-sized facility located in TUPELO, Mississippi.
How Does Cedars Compare to Other Mississippi Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Mississippi, CEDARS HEALTH CENTER's overall rating (5 stars) is above the state average of 2.6, staff turnover (45%) is near the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Cedars?
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 Cedars Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, CEDARS HEALTH CENTER 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 Mississippi. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Cedars Stick Around?
CEDARS HEALTH CENTER has a staff turnover rate of 45%, which is about average for Mississippi nursing homes (state average: 46%). Moderate turnover is common in nursing homes, but families should still ask about staff tenure and how the facility maintains care continuity when employees leave.
Was Cedars Ever Fined?
CEDARS HEALTH CENTER 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 Cedars on Any Federal Watch List?
CEDARS HEALTH CENTER 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.