Knollwood Nursing Center

Name: Knollwood Nursing Center
Address: 87 BRIARWOOD CIRCLE, Worcester, MA, 01606, US
Telephone: 5088536910

87 Briarwood Circle, Worcester, MA 01606 · Worcester County · 82 certified beds · avg 77 residents/day · certified since Jan 7, 1970

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

4.63

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: 4/5

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.

All citations in the current public record (14)

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 15, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
Dec 15, 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 15, 2025	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.
Dec 15, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not conduct and document a facility-wide assessment of what staff, supplies, and resources it needs to care for its residents properly — during everyday operations, nights, weekends, and emergencies.
Dec 15, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not regularly inspect bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails for safety, or the rails and mattresses were not attached safely to the frames.
Aug 27, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
Aug 27, 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.
Aug 27, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not help a resident get vision and hearing services — such as eye exams, glasses, hearing tests, or hearing aids.
Aug 27, 2024	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.
Aug 27, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.
Aug 27, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
Aug 27, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Aug 27, 2024	B · Minimal risk, repeated	The facility did not accurately assess a resident's health and needs. Assessments are the foundation for all the care a resident receives.
May 9, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections decreased between the last two inspection cycles (8 → 5).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2023	1	D
2024	8	E
2025	5	E

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)

No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.

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

Measure	This facility	Massachusetts avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	4.63	3.89	3.95	top 13% in Massachusetts; top 20% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.75	0.65	0.69	top 24% in Massachusetts; top 32% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	4.19	3.51	3.50	top 13% in Massachusetts; top 18% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.54	0.46	0.48	top 25% in Massachusetts; top 29% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	0.0	38.2	45.8	—
RN turnover (%)	0.0	42.6	42.9	—

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 4.27, RN 0.69, weekend 3.87. Staffing rating: 3/5.

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: 4/5 · long-stay residents: 4/5 · short-stay residents: 4/5

Who owns this facility

Non profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Bowler, Paul	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2016
Dudley, Elaine	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2011
Martel, Patricia	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	10/01/2016

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
"How do you decide you have enough staff and resources for your resident population, including nights and weekends?"
"How often are beds and bed rails inspected, and who does those checks?"
"Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"How do you arrange eye and hearing care for residents, including appointments and equipment like glasses or hearing aids?"
"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
Regalcare at Worcester	1.5 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
Odd Fellows Home of Massachusetts	1.8 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
Holy Trinity Eastern Orthodox N & R Center	1.9 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Notre Dame Long Term Care Center	2.1 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
Christopher House of Worcester	3.0 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center	3.5 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Jewish Healthcare Center	3.6 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
West Side House LTC Facility	4.0 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★★	5/5
Shrewsbury Rehabilitation and Nursing at Southgate	4.0 mi	Shrewsbury, MA	★★★★☆	3/5
St Francis Rehabilitation & Nursing Center	4.2 mi	Worcester, MA	★★★★☆	3/5
Holden Rehabilitation & Nursing Center	4.6 mi	Holden, MA	★★★★☆	4/5
St Mary Health Care Center	4.6 mi	Worcester, MA	★★☆☆☆	2/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Worcester →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 225016.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Knollwood Nursing Center

87 Briarwood Circle, Worcester, MA 01606 · 5088536910

Health inspection rating 4/5 · CMS overall 4/5· Fines (3y): $0

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
☐ "How do you decide you have enough staff and resources for your resident population, including nights and weekends?"
☐ "How often are beds and bed rails inspected, and who does those checks?"
☐ "Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "How do you arrange eye and hearing care for residents, including appointments and equipment like glasses or hearing aids?"
☐ "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 225016 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)