Massachusetts ›Fitchburg

Fitchburg Healthcare

1199 John Fitch Hwy, Fitchburg, MA 01420 · Worcester County · 160 certified beds · avg 133 residents/day · certified since Dec 1, 1974

Part of chain: NEXT STEP HEALTHCARE (14 facilities, chain avg rating 1.7★)

1/5
Health inspection rating (on-site)
1
Serious findings on record
$33,180
Fines, last 3 years
3.35
Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

Health inspection rating: ★☆☆☆☆1/5 · CMS overall rating: 1/5

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 · Feb 11, 2026 · F-0697

The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.

Why it matters: Untreated pain causes needless suffering and can lead to depression, poor sleep, and declining health.

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: Mar 4, 2026 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (39)

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

DateSeverityWhat the facility was cited for
Feb 11, 2026▲ G · Actual harm, one-offThe facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including safe support for residents' daily living needs.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility used physical restraints — devices that limit a resident's movement — when they weren't needed for medical treatment.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide or arrange dental services for its residents. Nursing homes are responsible for making sure residents can get dental care.
Feb 11, 2026D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Dec 30, 2025E · Potential for harm, repeatedThe 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 17, 2025D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not treat residents with respect and dignity, or did not let them keep and use their own personal belongings. · from a complaint
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not honor residents' rights to request, refuse, or stop treatment, to decline participation in medical research, or to make an advance directive — a written statement of their wishes for future medical care.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not properly complete the required screening (called PASARR) that identifies whether a person entering a nursing home has a mental illness or intellectual disability and needs specialized services.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility provided care that did not meet professional standards of quality — the accepted standards that nurses and other clinicians are expected to follow.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide activities that meet residents' needs and interests. Nursing homes must offer meaningful activity programs, not just leave residents idle.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide or obtain laboratory tests when a doctor ordered them, or did not promptly report the results back to the doctor who ordered them.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide or arrange specialized rehabilitation services — such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy — for residents who needed them.
Oct 1, 2024D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Oct 1, 2024B · Minimal risk, repeatedThe facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide proper foot care for residents. Foot care includes routine care like nail trimming and attention to foot problems, which matter greatly for older adults.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe 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.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not safely and appropriately administer IV fluids (fluids given through a vein) for residents who needed them.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide safe, appropriate care for residents who need dialysis — the treatment that filters the blood when kidneys fail.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not provide care that took into account residents' past trauma or their cultural backgrounds. Care is supposed to be sensitive to what residents have lived through and where they come from.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have a registered nurse on duty at least 8 hours a day, or did not have a registered nurse serving full-time as director of nursing.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not have an agreement with an approved laboratory to provide lab services, even though it doesn't offer lab services on site.
Jul 11, 2023D · Potential for harm, one-offThe facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections stayed about the same across the last two inspection cycles (13 → 12).

YearCitationsSerious (G–L)Worst severity that year
2023120D
2024130D
202520E
2026121G ▲

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 $33,180.

DateTypeAmount / length
Feb 11, 2026Fine$33,180

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

MeasureThis facilityMassachusetts avgU.S. avgWhere it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)3.353.893.95bottom 22% in Massachusetts; bottom 29% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours0.390.650.69bottom 13% in Massachusetts; bottom 21% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing2.943.513.50bottom 17% in Massachusetts; bottom 28% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)0.320.460.48bottom 31% in Massachusetts; bottom 37% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)42.038.245.8bottom 34% in Massachusetts; top 42% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)41.242.642.9top 50% in Massachusetts; 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 3.51, RN 0.41, weekend 3.07. Staffing rating: 2/5.

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: 2/5 · long-stay residents: 3/5 · short-stay residents: 1/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / managerTypeRoleStakeSince
Dell'anno, DamianIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE09/01/2017
Dell'anno, DamionIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE01/11/2020
Dell'anno, DamionIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE01/11/2020
Dimov, GueorguiIndividualOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE11/15/2022
Dimov, GueorguiIndividualADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE11/15/2022
Next Step Healthcare LLCOrganizationOperational/Managerial ControlNOT APPLICABLE09/01/2017
Next Step Healthcare LLCOrganizationADP of the SNFNOT APPLICABLE04/28/2025
Stephan, WilliamIndividualCorporate OfficerNOT APPLICABLE09/01/2017

Questions to ask on your visit

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

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

FacilityDistanceCityOverallInspectionFlags
Highlands, the0.8 miFitchburg, MA★★★☆☆3/5
Fitchburg Rehabilitation and Nursing Center1.4 miFitchburg, MA★☆☆☆☆1/5
Leominster Rehabilitation and Nursing Center4.0 miLeominster, MA★☆☆☆☆2/5
Life Care Center of Leominster4.4 miLeominster, MA★★★★☆3/5
River Terrace Rehabilitation and Healthcare Ctr8.5 miLancaster, MA★★★★★5/5
Wachusett Manor9.5 miGardner, MA★★★☆☆3/5
Gardner Rehabilitation and Nursing Center9.8 miGardner, MA★★☆☆☆2/5
Seven Hills Pediatric Center10.9 miGroton, MA★★★☆☆3/5
Ayer Valley Rehab and Nursing11.3 miAyer, MA★☆☆☆☆1/5
Sterling Village13.1 miSterling, MA★★★★☆4/5
Alliance Health at Baldwinville13.7 miBaldwinville, MA★★★★☆4/5
Oakdale Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center14.1 miWest Boylston, MA★★★★☆4/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Fitchburg →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225216.