The Forest At Duke Inc

2701 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705 (919) 490-8000
Non profit - Corporation 4 Beds Independent Data: November 2025
Trust Grade
80/100
#128 of 417 in NC
Last Inspection: November 2024

Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.

Overview

The Forest At Duke Inc has a Trust Grade of B+, which means it is above average and recommended for families seeking care. It ranks #128 out of 417 facilities in North Carolina, placing it in the top half, and #5 out of 13 in Durham County, indicating only four local options are better. The facility is new to inspections, so there is no trend data available yet. Staffing is a concern, as it received a poor rating of 1 out of 5 stars, although the turnover rate is commendably low at 0%, well below the state average. On the positive side, the facility has no fines and excellent health inspection ratings, but it has less RN coverage than 96% of North Carolina facilities, which could impact care quality. One specific incident noted by inspectors was that the facility failed to transmit discharge assessments for two residents, which means important information about their care may not have been properly documented. While there are strengths, such as the excellent health inspection rating and low turnover, the lack of RN coverage and the minor procedural issue highlight areas that need improvement.

Trust Score
B+
80/100
In North Carolina
#128/417
Top 30%
Safety Record
Low Risk
No red flags
Inspections
Too New
0 → 1 violations
Staff Stability
○ Average
Turnover data not reported for this facility.
Penalties
✓ Good
No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most North Carolina facilities.
Skilled Nurses
⚠ Watch
Each resident gets only 23 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — below average for North Carolina. Fewer RN minutes means fewer trained eyes watching for problems.
Violations
✓ Good
Only 1 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
★★★★☆
4.0
Overall Rating
★☆☆☆☆
1.0
Staff Levels
☆☆☆☆☆
0.0
Care Quality
★★★★★
5.0
Inspection Score
Stable
: 0 issues
2024: 1 issues

The Good

  • Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
  • No fines on record

Facility shows strength in fire safety.

The Bad

No Significant Concerns Identified

This facility shows no red flags. Among North Carolina's 100 nursing homes, only 0% achieve this.

The Ugly 1 deficiencies on record

Nov 2024 1 deficiency
MINOR (B)

Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact

MDS Data Transmission (Tag F0640)

Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to transmit Minimum Data Set (MDS) discharge assessments for 2 ...

Read full inspector narrative →
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to transmit Minimum Data Set (MDS) discharge assessments for 2 of 2 residents reviewed for resident assessment (Resident #5 and Resident #6). The findings included: 1. Resident #5 was admitted on [DATE] with diagnoses including congestive heart failure and hypertension. An admission MDS assessment dated [DATE] indicated Resident #5 had received skilled therapy services. Facility documentation indicated Resident #5 had been discharged home on 8/5/24. Review of Resident #5's MDS records revealed the discharge assessment had not been transmitted. An interview was conducted with the MDS Nurse on 11/19/2024 at 1:45 PM who stated Resident #5 was admitted to the facility and had received skilled services. She explained she had completed the discharge assessment but was unsure how she missed transmitting it to the database. An interview with the Administrator and Director was conducted on 11/19/24 at 2:20 PM in conjunction with a record review. Both the Administrator and Director stated the discharge transmission should have been done at the time of discharge. 2. Resident #6 was admitted on [DATE] with diagnoses including atrial fibrillation and cerebral infarction. An admission MDS assessment dated [DATE] indicated Resident #6 had received skilled therapy services. Facility documentation indicated Resident #6 had been discharged home on 7/15/24. Review of Resident #6's MDS records revealed the discharge assessment had not been transmitted. An interview was conducted with the MDS nurse on 11/19/2024 at 1:45 PM. She stated Resident #6 was admitted to the facility and had received skilled services under a managed care program. She explained she had completed the discharge assessment but was unsure how she missed transmitting it to the database. An interview with the Administrator and Director was conducted on 11/19/24 at 2:20 PM in conjunction with a record review. Both the Administrator and Director stated the discharge transmission should have been done at the time of discharge.
Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Life-Threatening (Immediate Jeopardy)
J - Isolated K - Pattern L - Widespread
Actual Harm
G - Isolated H - Pattern I - Widespread
Potential for Harm
D - Isolated E - Pattern F - Widespread
No Harm (Minor)
A - Isolated B - Pattern C - Widespread

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

Strengths
  • • Grade B+ (80/100). Above average facility, better than most options in North Carolina.
  • • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
  • • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most North Carolina facilities.
  • • Only 1 deficiencies on record. Cleaner than most facilities. Minor issues only.
Concerns
  • • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
Bottom line: Generally positive indicators. Standard due diligence and a personal visit recommended.

About This Facility

What is The Forest At Duke Inc's CMS Rating?

CMS assigns The Forest At Duke Inc an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is considered above average nationally. Within North Carolina, 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 The Forest At Duke Inc Staffed?

CMS rates The Forest At Duke Inc's staffing level at 1 out of 5 stars, which is much below average compared to other nursing homes.

What Have Inspectors Found at The Forest At Duke Inc?

State health inspectors documented 1 deficiencies at The Forest At Duke Inc during 2024. These included: 1 minor or isolated issues.

Who Owns and Operates The Forest At Duke Inc?

The Forest At Duke Inc 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 4 certified beds and approximately 3 residents (about 75% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Durham, North Carolina.

How Does The Forest At Duke Inc Compare to Other North Carolina Nursing Homes?

Compared to the 100 nursing homes in North Carolina, The Forest At Duke Inc's overall rating (4 stars) is above the state average of 2.8 and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.

What Should Families Ask When Visiting The Forest At Duke Inc?

Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can you walk me through typical staffing levels on day, evening, and night shifts?" "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?" These questions are particularly relevant given the below-average staffing rating.

Is The Forest At Duke Inc Safe?

Based on CMS inspection data, The Forest At Duke Inc 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 4-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in North Carolina. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.

Do Nurses at The Forest At Duke Inc Stick Around?

The Forest At Duke Inc has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.

Was The Forest At Duke Inc Ever Fined?

The Forest At Duke Inc 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 The Forest At Duke Inc on Any Federal Watch List?

The Forest At Duke Inc 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.