Below-average Medicare ratings — review the inspection history and ask the administrator about recent corrections before visiting.
based on 65 Google reviews
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These current public-data fields deserve follow-up with the facility and the official Medicare record. They are not a clinical risk score or a substitute for an in-person assessment.
This facility has areas of concern that warrant careful consideration. Registered Nurse hours are 72% of the EveryPlace reference benchmark; ask how RN coverage is allocated across shifts. The latest standard survey recorded 24 findings, above the CA average of 15.4. We recommend asking the administrator directly: "How are you addressing recent staffing shortfalls?" These are not reasons to panic, but they are reasons to ask tough questions and visit in person.
Kern River Transitional Care is frequently praised for its modern, beautiful facility and its highly effective physical therapy program that helps patients regain mobility. However, families should be extremely cautious regarding inconsistent nursing care, reports of medication errors, and significant communication gaps between staff and responsible parties.
Quality Themes
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Concerns
Rating Trends
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Distribution · 66 analyzed
The owner uses highly templated, copy-paste responses for almost all negative reviews, often directing users to a phone number. While positive reviews are more personalized, the negative responses lack genuine empathy or specific resolution.
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“When my wife and I arrived at Kern River, she was unable walk, eat, or even sleep. Thanks to their great PT program, after about 5-8 days we started seeing amazing results!”
“They don't help give showers or allow showers regularly. They don't log medication accurately. They will say and log that they've given medication when they haven't.”
RN hours are below the EveryPlace reference benchmark. RNs handle complex medical needs and medication, so ask about coverage during your visit.
Reference benchmarks (0.75 RN and 4.1 total nursing hours per resident/day) are comparison targets, not current federal minimum requirements.
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures
11
measures
4
measures
2
measures
Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse
Residents whose walking got worse
Residents needing more daily help over time
Residents on antipsychotic medication
Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Detailed Medicare record · up to 3-year lookback
This facility has serious recurring problems with families filing numerous complaints about abuse reporting failures, care planning issues, and nursing staff competency. Most concerning are repeated deficiencies in timely reporting suspected abuse and neglect to authorities, inadequate care planning, and poor nursing services quality that persist across multiple surveys. While all violations show correction dates, the pattern of similar issues returning suggests systemic problems that families should carefully investigate before considering placement.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Administration Deficiencies
Arrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies
Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies
Provide emergency officials' contact information.
Smoke Deficiencies
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Administration Deficiencies
Hire a qualified full-time social worker in a facility with more than 120 beds.
Administration Deficiencies
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Administration Deficiencies
Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate foot care.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.
Resident Rights Deficiencies
Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.
Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies
Provide routine and 24-hour emergency dental care for each resident.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Administration Deficiencies
Inform resident or representatives choice to enter into binding arbitration agreement and right to refuse.
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Federal Penalties
Fine
Dec 7, 2023
$77,720
Kern River Transitional Care
for profit
Pacs Group
274 facilities nationwide
Chain avg rating: 2.9/5 · Rank 259 of 260 (Lowest rating)
Owners
Providence Group North LLC
Owner · Organization
Key personnel
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Google Reviews
65 reviews from families & visitors
Official Website
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EveryPlace is a research directory. Facility information is compiled from public sources — Medicare.gov, state licensing portals, Google Places, and publicly available street-level imagery. Some summaries, interpretations, suggested questions, and pricing research are AI-generated or AI-assisted and may contain errors or omit important context. Listings do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or advertisement, and we do not accept payment for placement. Families should verify all details directly with the facility and the original sources linked above before making any care decisions. See our Research Policy for our editorial standards, correction process, and image-removal policy.
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