INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER
Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.
Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center has a Trust Grade of C, indicating it is average among nursing homes, sitting in the middle of the pack with room for improvement. It ranks #37 out of 127 facilities in Oregon, placing it in the top half, and #1 out of 2 in Polk County, meaning it is the best option locally. Unfortunately, the facility is experiencing a worsening trend, with the number of issues increasing from 8 in 2023 to 9 in 2025. Staffing has a 3 out of 5 star rating, but the 60% turnover rate is concerning, higher than the Oregon average of 49%. There are significant issues with RN coverage, which is better than only 3% of state facilities, and the $69,876 in fines suggests ongoing compliance problems. Specific incidents include a serious case where a resident required two staff members for a transfer but was assisted by only one, leading to a fall risk. Additionally, there have been concerns about delayed nursing assessments due to inconsistent RN coverage, and residents have reported loud and disruptive bathroom fans that have not been addressed. While the facility has strengths, such as a good overall rating and no critical issues, these weaknesses highlight areas that need immediate attention to ensure resident safety and comfort.
- Trust Score
- C
- In Oregon
- #37/127
- Safety Record
- Moderate
- Inspections
- Getting Worse
- Staff Stability ⚠ Watch
- 60% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- $69,876 in fines. Lower than most Oregon facilities. Relatively clean record.
- Skilled Nurses ⚠ Watch
- Each resident gets only 13 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — below average for Oregon. Fewer RN minutes means fewer trained eyes watching for problems.
- Violations ⚠ Watch
- 24 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
The Good
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in fire safety.
The Bad
13pts above Oregon avg (46%)
Frequent staff changes - ask about care continuity
Well above median ($33,413)
Moderate penalties - review what triggered them
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
12 points above Oregon average of 48%
The Ugly 24 deficiencies on record
Feb 2025
9 deficiencies
1 Harm
SERIOUS
(G)
📢 Someone Reported This
A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint
Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures
Accident Prevention
(Tag F0689)
A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident
2. Resident 31 was admitted to the facility in 7/2023 with a diagnosis of a stroke.
A care plan initiated 1/21/24 revealed Resident 31 required the assistance of two people to transfer from a bed to ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
PASARR Coordination
(Tag F0644)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to obtain and implement PASARR (Preadmission screening and resident review/screens for serious mental illness and or intellec...
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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
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, it was determined the facility failed to provide care and services for skin wounds for 1 of 1 sampled resident (#8) reviewed for non-pressure skin w...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0688
(Tag F0688)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure a resident received a restorative program for 1 of 1 sampled resident (#31) reviewed for mobility. This placed resi...
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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 F0697
(Tag F0697)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review the facility failed to provide appropriate and timely pain management for 1 of 6 sampled residents (#8) reviewed for medications. This placed residents at risk for...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Drug Regimen Review
(Tag F0756)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure a resident's physician acted upon pharmacy recommendations timely for 1 of 5 sampled residents (#31) reviewed for m...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0757
(Tag F0757)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure appropriate monitoring and dosing of medications for 1 of 1 of sampled resident (#38) reviewed for diarrhea. This p...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0919
(Tag F0919)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure a bathroom call light cord was present for 2 of 13 sampled residents (#s 9 and 20) reviewed for enviro...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Safe Environment
(Tag F0584)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
2. Resident 20 was admitted to the facility in 8/2020 with a diagnosis of heart failure.
A 12/17/24 quarterly MDS revealed Resident 20 was cognitively impaired.
On 2/9/25 at 2:43 PM when Resident 20...
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Nov 2023
6 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0552
(Tag F0552)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
2. Resident 27 was admitted to the facility in 10/2023 with diagnoses including depression.
Resident 27's physician orders dated 10/25/23 included the daily administration of three psychotropic medica...
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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, interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to implement a person-centered care plan for 1 of 3 sampled residents (#3) reviewed for accidents. This placed r...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0692
(Tag F0692)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to monitor weight loss and reassess the effectiveness of nutrition interventions for 1 of 1 sampled resident (#17) reviewed f...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0757
(Tag F0757)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure residents were free from unnecessary bowel medications for 1 of 5 sampled residents (#17) reviewed for unnecessary ...
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CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0883
(Tag F0883)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to administer pneumococcal vaccines for 2 of 5 sampled residents (#s 8 and 17) reviewed for immunizations. This placed reside...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation and interview it was determined the facility failed to ensure food was stored appropriately and was discarded in a timely manner for 1 of 1 resident refrigerator reviewed for food...
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Aug 2023
2 deficiencies
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 F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure services provided met professional standards of quality for 1 of 1 sampled resident reviewed (#1) for change of con...
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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
Respiratory Care
(Tag F0695)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to respond to a change of condition related to a resi...
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Dec 2022
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 F0558
(Tag F0558)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation and interview it was determined the facility failed to ensure the resident's call light was within reach for 1 of 3 sampled residents (#4) reviewed for call lights. This placed re...
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Oct 2022
6 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Quality of Care
(Tag F0684)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
2. Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to follow physician orders for collecting an UA for 1 of 2 sampled residents (#35) reviewed for urinary catheters. This pl...
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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, interview, and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure a medication error rate of less than 5%. There were two errors in 28 opportunities resulting in a 7% ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0565
(Tag F0565)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure Resident Council requests were provided responses for 1 of 1 Resident Council reviewed for grievances. This placed ...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0730
(Tag F0730)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure each CNA received a performance review on an annual basis for 2 of 3 CNAs (#s 16 and 19) reviewed for annual perfor...
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CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation and interview it was determined the facility failed to ensure kitchen equipment was clean and sanitary. This placed residents at risk cross contamination. Findings include:
On 10...
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CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0727
(Tag F0727)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure an RN was available for at least eight consecutive hours for 9 days out of 30 days reviewed for RN coverage. This p...
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Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Why is there high staff turnover? How do you retain staff?"
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Licensed and certified facility. Meets minimum state requirements.
- • 24 deficiencies on record, including 1 serious (caused harm) violation. Ask about corrective actions taken.
- • $69,876 in fines. Extremely high, among the most fined facilities in Oregon. Major compliance failures.
- • Grade C (50/100). Below average facility with significant concerns.
- • 60% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
About This Facility
What is Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is considered above average nationally. Within Oregon, 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 Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center Staffed?
CMS rates INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER's staffing level at 3 out of 5 stars, which is average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 60%, which is 13 percentage points above the Oregon average of 46%. High turnover can affect care consistency as new staff learn residents' individual needs.
What Have Inspectors Found at Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center?
State health inspectors documented 24 deficiencies at INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER during 2022 to 2025. These included: 1 that caused actual resident harm and 23 with potential for harm. Deficiencies causing actual harm indicate documented cases where residents experienced negative health consequences.
Who Owns and Operates Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center?
INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by EMPRES OPERATED BY EVERGREEN, a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 80 certified beds and approximately 37 residents (about 46% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in INDEPENDENCE, Oregon.
How Does Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center Compare to Other Oregon Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Oregon, INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER's overall rating (4 stars) is above the state average of 3.0, staff turnover (60%) is significantly higher than the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (4 stars) is above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "How do you ensure continuity of care given staff turnover, and what is your staff retention strategy?" "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 facility's high staff turnover rate.
Is Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION 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 4-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in Oregon. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center Stick Around?
Staff turnover at INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER is high. At 60%, the facility is 13 percentage points above the Oregon average of 46%. High turnover means new staff may not know residents' individual needs, medications, or preferences. It can also be disorienting for residents, especially those with dementia who rely on familiar faces. Families should ask: What is causing the turnover? What retention programs are in place? How do you ensure care continuity during staff transitions?
Was Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center Ever Fined?
INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER has been fined $69,876 across 3 penalty actions. This is above the Oregon average of $33,778. Fines in this range indicate compliance issues significant enough for CMS to impose meaningful financial consequences. Common causes include delayed correction of deficiencies, repeat violations, or care failures affecting resident safety. Families should ask facility leadership what changes have been made since these penalties.
Is Independence Health & Rehabilitation Center on Any Federal Watch List?
INDEPENDENCE HEALTH & REHABILITATION 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.