What inspection severity letters A to L mean
Key takeaways
- Inspectors give every deficiency a letter from A to L.
- The letter combines how serious the harm or risk was with how many residents were affected.
- G, H and I mean actual harm. J, K and L mean immediate jeopardy: the problem caused, or was likely to cause, serious injury, harm or death.
- Most homes have some citations. The letters and the pattern over time tell you more than the count.
Inspectors give every deficiency a letter from A to L. The letter combines two things: how serious the harm or risk was, and how many residents were affected. A is the least serious and L is the most serious.
The grid
| Harm level | Isolated | Pattern | Widespread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety | J | K | L |
| Actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy | G | H | I |
| No actual harm, with potential for more than minimal harm | D | E | F |
| No actual harm, with potential for minimal harm | A | B | C |
How to read a citation on this site
- Date is the inspection date. "Complaint" means the visit followed a complaint, not the regular schedule.
- The sentence is the requirement inspectors found unmet, in CMS's wording. It describes the rule, not the full story of what happened.
- Correction status shows whether the home has a correction date or a plan of correction on file.
Most homes have some citations. In the current data the national average is 9.3 health deficiencies in the latest inspection cycle. The letters and the pattern over several inspections tell you more than the count alone.