Avalon Healthcare Bellingham

Name: Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
Address: 3121 SQUALICUM PARKWAY, Bellingham, WA, 98225, US
Telephone: 3607346760

3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225 · Whatcom County · 105 certified beds · avg 66 residents/day · certified since Mar 1, 1986

Part of chain: AVALON HEALTH CARE (16 facilities, chain avg rating 3.4★)

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$32,298

Fines, last 3 years

3.75

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

Health inspection rating: ★★★★☆4/5 · CMS overall rating: 5/5

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Apr 24, 2025 · F-0686 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.

Why it matters: Bedsores are painful, can become deeply infected, and in serious cases can be life-threatening.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: May 15, 2025 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Sep 3, 2024 · F-0689 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.

Why it matters: This is one of the most common citations and directly relates to falls and injuries, which can be devastating for older adults.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Sep 19, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (29)

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.

Date	Severity	What the facility was cited for
Dec 5, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide the care needed to maintain or improve residents' movement and flexibility — such as range-of-motion exercises — leading to avoidable decline.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility gave residents unnecessary mind-altering (psychotropic) medications, or used drugs in a way that restrained residents by dulling their ability to think, move, or function.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not create and follow a basic care plan covering a new resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of admission. The first days are when a new resident is most vulnerable.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not label drugs according to professional standards or did not store them in locked compartments, with controlled drugs (medications with a high risk of misuse) kept under a separate lock.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Dec 5, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status.
Apr 24, 2025	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving. · from a complaint
Jan 13, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away. · from a complaint
Dec 6, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility's activities program was not run by a qualified professional. The person directing recreation and social activities must have proper training or credentials.
Dec 6, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Dec 6, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow a resident's chosen representative — often a family member or someone with power of attorney — to exercise the resident's rights on their behalf. When a resident can't speak for themselves, their representative steps into that role.
Dec 6, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines.
Dec 6, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
Dec 6, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide appropriate care related to bladder and bowel needs — including care for residents who use catheters and steps to prevent urinary tract infections.
Sep 3, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Sep 3, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential. · from a complaint
Sep 3, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do. · from a complaint
Mar 25, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs. · from a complaint
Jan 11, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not designate a qualified infection preventionist — a trained person responsible for running the infection prevention and control program.
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not let a resident or their legal representative see or buy copies of the resident's own records. · from a complaint
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not fully assess residents on time — a complete assessment of health, abilities, and needs is required when a resident is first admitted and at least once every 12 months after that.
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow.
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents' medications free from unnecessary drugs. Residents should only take medicines they truly need, at the right dose, for a clear reason.
Jan 11, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide or arrange specialized rehabilitation services — such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy — for residents who needed them.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (6 → 10).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2024	17	1	G ▲
2025	12	1	G ▲

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

1 fine totaling $32,298.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Apr 24, 2025	Fine	$32,298

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

Measure	This facility	Washington avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	3.75	4.24	3.95	bottom 29% in Washington; bottom 49% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.00	0.91	0.69	top 29% in Washington; top 16% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.19	3.69	3.50	bottom 26% in Washington; bottom 41% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.76	0.67	0.48	top 31% in Washington; top 13% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	52.3	45.1	45.8	bottom 32% in Washington; bottom 31% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	41.2	45.4	42.9	top 45% in Washington; top 49% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 4.50, RN 1.21, weekend 3.84. Staffing rating: 4/5.

Self-reported quality measures

Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.

Quality measures rating: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Avalon Health Care INC	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	03/17/2025
Avalon Holdco Equities, L.L.C.	Organization	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	04/15/2026
Avalon Holding INC	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	04/15/2026
Hyrum a Kirton Individual Tr	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
K-Team LLC	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
Kirton, Byron	Individual	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
Kirton, Hyrum	Individual	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
Kirton, Spencer	Individual	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
Spencer K Kirton Individual Tr	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
The Byron a Kirton Individual Tr	Organization	Indirect Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2025
Avalon Health Care INC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2024
Avalon Health Care Management INC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2024
Avalon Health Care Management INC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/30/2026
Avalon Holdco Equities, L.L.C.	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	04/15/2026
Avalon Holding INC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	03/17/2025
Avalon Holding INC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2024
Avalon Real Estate LLC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/17/2025
Dangerfield, David	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	03/17/2025
Hash, Alan	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2024
Hash, Alan	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	08/01/2024

Questions to ask on your visit

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

"How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
"What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
"What do you do daily to keep residents moving, and how do you help residents at risk of losing mobility?"
"What percentage of your residents are on antipsychotic or sedating medications, and how do you work to reduce that?"
"What does the care plan for a brand-new resident cover in the first 48 hours, and who writes it?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
"Can you show me how medications are stored and secured on the units, including controlled drugs?"
"What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
"Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

Facility	Distance	City	Overall	Inspection	Flags
Alderwood Park Health and Rehab of Cascadia	1.5 mi	Bellingham, WA	★★★★★	4/5
Rock Hill Health & Rehabilitation	1.6 mi	Bellingham, WA	★★☆☆☆	1/5
North Cascades Health and Rehabilitation	3.1 mi	Bellingham, WA	★★☆☆☆	1/5	abuse
Mt Baker Care Center	4.1 mi	Bellingham, WA	★★★★★	5/5
Highland Health and Rehabilitation of Cascadia	4.3 mi	Bellingham, WA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Christian Health Care Center	13.2 mi	Lynden, WA	★★★★★	5/5
Soundview Rehabilitation and Health Care INC	19.8 mi	Anacortes, WA	★★☆☆☆	2/5	abuse

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Bellingham →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 505296.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Avalon Healthcare Bellingham

3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225 · 3607346760

Health inspection rating 4/5 · CMS overall 5/5· Fines (3y): $32,298

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Apr 24, 2025 (F-0686, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
▲ Sep 3, 2024 (F-0689, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
☐ "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
☐ "What do you do daily to keep residents moving, and how do you help residents at risk of losing mobility?"
☐ "What percentage of your residents are on antipsychotic or sedating medications, and how do you work to reduce that?"
☐ "What does the care plan for a brand-new resident cover in the first 48 hours, and who writes it?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "How many residents here use oxygen or breathing equipment, and who checks that equipment each shift?"
☐ "Can you show me how medications are stored and secured on the units, including controlled drugs?"
☐ "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
☐ "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

While you're there, notice:

☐ Smell and cleanliness in hallways, not just the lobby
☐ How staff speak to residents; call lights answered promptly
☐ Residents up, dressed, and engaged (visit mealtimes and a weekend if you can)

Data: CMS Provider Data Catalog, version 2026-08-01 · CCN 505296 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)