La Mesa Healthcare Center

Name: La Mesa Healthcare Center
Address: 3780 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, La Mesa, CA, 91941, US
Telephone: 6194651313

3780 Massachusetts Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91941 · San Diego County · 94 certified beds · avg 90 residents/day · certified since Apr 1, 1970

Part of chain: PACS GROUP (274 facilities, chain avg rating 2.9★)

4/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

3.70

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.

All citations in the current public record (38)

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
May 6, 2026	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. · from a complaint
Apr 29, 2026	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. · from a complaint
Sep 4, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation. · from a complaint
Mar 27, 2025	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Mar 27, 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.
Mar 27, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups.
Mar 27, 2025	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.
Mar 27, 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.
Mar 27, 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.
Mar 27, 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.
Mar 27, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits.
Mar 27, 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.
Mar 27, 2025	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.
Oct 12, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required. · from a complaint
Oct 12, 2023	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. · from a complaint
Dec 2, 2021	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Dec 2, 2021	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
Dec 2, 2021	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The 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.
Dec 2, 2021	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 2, 2021	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility's medication error rate was 5 percent or higher — meaning too many doses were given incorrectly, such as the wrong drug, dose, or time.
May 9, 2019	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The 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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not allow residents to take their own medications when a clinical review showed they could do so safely. Residents have this right if their care team determines it's appropriate.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not honor residents' right to make their own choices about their daily lives, such as when to wake up, what to eat, or how to spend their time.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not give the resident or their representative written notice of how long it would hold the resident's bed during a hospital stay or approved leave.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have enough support staff to safely and effectively run its food and nutrition service.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility's menus did not meet residents' nutritional needs, or were not prepared in advance, followed as written, kept up to date, or reviewed by a dietician.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide food that accounts for each resident's allergies, intolerances, and personal preferences, or did not offer appealing alternatives.
May 9, 2019	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.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not run an ongoing quality assurance committee that reviews care problems and creates plans to fix them.
May 9, 2019	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not maintain an effective pest control program to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (5 → 10).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2019	18	E
2021	5	E
2023	2	D
2025	11	E
2026	2	D

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	California avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	3.70	4.31	3.95	bottom 20% in California; bottom 47% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.35	0.61	0.69	bottom 20% in California; bottom 15% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	3.40	3.90	3.50	bottom 22% in California; top 48% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.15	0.51	0.48	bottom 2% in California; bottom 5% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	33.7	36.7	45.8	top 42% in California; top 21% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	61.5	38.1	42.9	bottom 14% in California; bottom 20% 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 4.12, RN 0.39, weekend 3.78. 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: 5/5 · long-stay residents: 5/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Limited Liability company

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Apt, Frederick	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2024
Hancock, Mark	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2024
Jergensen, Joshua	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2024
Mitchell, John	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2024
Stewart, Jo Ann	Individual	Contracted Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2017
Wilcox, Connor	Individual	W-2 Managing Employee	NOT APPLICABLE	06/01/2023

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"When abuse or theft is suspected, who do you notify, how fast, and how do you inform the family?"
"How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
"What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
"Can you give me examples of how you adjust daily routines and room setups to fit each resident's preferences?"
"Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
"How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
"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
Bella Vista Health Center	1.0 mi	Lemon Grove, CA	★★★★☆	4/5
Lemon Grove Care and Rehabilitation Center	1.2 mi	Lemon Grove, CA	★★★☆☆	2/5
Amaya Springs Health Care Center	1.8 mi	Spring Valley, CA	★★★☆☆	4/5
Parkway Hills Nursing & Rehabilitation	2.0 mi	La Mesa, CA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Arbor Hills Nursing Center	2.0 mi	La Mesa, CA	★★★★★	4/5
University Care Center	2.3 mi	San Diego, CA	★★★★★	4/5
Jacob Healthcare Center	2.3 mi	San Diego, CA	★★★★★	4/5
Brighton Place Spring Valley	2.4 mi	Spring Valley, CA	★★☆☆☆	3/5
Community Care Center	2.4 mi	La Mesa, CA	★★★★☆	4/5
Grossmont Gardens Healthcare Center	2.5 mi	La Mesa, CA		—/5
Country Manor la Mesa Healthcare Center	2.6 mi	La Mesa, CA	★★★★☆	4/5
Grossmont Hospital D/P SNF	2.9 mi	La Mesa, CA	★★★★★	5/5

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in La Mesa →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 055488.

The Care File

Visit checklist — La Mesa Healthcare Center

3780 Massachusetts Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91941 · 6194651313

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

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "When abuse or theft is suspected, who do you notify, how fast, and how do you inform the family?"
☐ "How do you care for residents with incontinence or catheters, and what do you do to prevent urinary tract infections?"
☐ "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
☐ "Can you give me examples of how you adjust daily routines and room setups to fit each resident's preferences?"
☐ "Can you tell me what this citation involved and what steps you took to bring care back up to standard?"
☐ "How do you prevent bedsores for residents who can't move themselves, and how often are at-risk residents repositioned?"
☐ "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 055488 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)