Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham
3121 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA · (360) 734-6760
- CMS high-performer trophy
- Certified beds
- 105
- Residents per day
- 74
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- Avalon Health Care
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- March 1, 1986
1
How this home got 5 stars
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
-
Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in Washington.
-
Staffing
★★★★★no change
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
-
Quality measures
★★★★★+1 star
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
-
Overall
★★★★★5 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among Washington homes
Avalon Healthcare Bellingham carries 56 inspection points. That is fewer than 72% of Washington's 192 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in Washington: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–31 pts
- 4★ 31–69 pts
- 3★ 69–100 pts
- 2★ 100–167 pts
- 1★ over 167 pts
Bars show every rated home in Washington by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
29 health citations on record since 2024. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
Harm and immediate-jeopardy citations (2)
-
G
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
-
G
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Everything else, by area of care
Quality of Life and Care11E
- E
Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
- D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- D
Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
- D
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
- D
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
- E
Ensure the activities program is directed by a qualified professional.
- E
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- D
Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
- D
Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
- D
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
- D
Provide or get specialized rehabilitative services as required for a resident.
Resident Rights5D
- D
Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.
- D
Give the resident's representative the ability to exercise the resident's rights.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
- D
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.
- D
Let each resident or the resident's legal representative access or purchase copies of all the resident's records.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning4D
- D
Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted
- D
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- D
Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.
- D
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
Infection Control3E
- D
Develop and implement policies and procedures for flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
- D
Educate residents and staff on COVID-19 vaccination, offer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents and staff after education, and properly document each resident and staff member's vaccination status.
- E
Designate a qualified infection preventionist to be responsible for the infection prevent and control program in the nursing home.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation2D
- D
Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.
- D
Respond appropriately to all alleged violations.
Pharmacy Service2D
- D
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.
- D
Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
Inspection history
2025-12-05
10 health deficiencies · 5 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Quality of Life and Care (5 deficiencies)
2024-12-06
8 health deficiencies · 6 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Quality of Life and Care (5 deficiencies)
2024-01-11
11 health deficiencies · 3 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Quality of Life and Care (3 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 4 h 11 min of nursing staff time a day, 57 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
4 h 11 min
Washington average
4 h 25 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 49% of nursing staff and 36% of registered nurses left in the past year.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Fines and payment denials
$32,298 in federal fines on record over the past three years.
| Date | Penalty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-24 | Fine | $32,298 |
6
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine3.8 pts better | 100.0% | 96.2% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine0.1 pts better | 94.4% | 94.3% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury0.3 pts better | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms14.3 pts worse | 32.2% | 17.9% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight3.8 pts better | 1.8% | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication0.8 pts better | 11.7% | 12.5% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication10.6 pts better | 4.4% | 15.0% | 15.4% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who were physically restrained0.1 pts better | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened9.9 pts worse | 25.5% | 15.6% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased5.3 pts worse | 19.1% | 13.8% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder0.8 pts better | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection1.7 pts better | 0.0% | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence4.2 pts worse | 25.8% | 21.6% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers2.4 pts better | 2.0% | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine8.3 pts better | 97.0% | 88.7% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit4.9 pts better | 8.1% | 13.0% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication1.1 pts better | 0.2% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine7.1 pts better | 91.5% | 84.4% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission1 pts better | 18.7% | 19.7% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
37 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon Health Care Inc | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 14 facilities |
| Avalon Health Care Inc | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 14 facilities |
| Avalon Health Care Management Inc | Operational/Managerial Control · Organization | 0% | 16 facilities |
| Avalon Health Care Management Inc | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 16 facilities |
| Avalon Holdco Equities, L.l.c. | Direct Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Avalon Holdco Equities, L.l.c. | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Avalon Holding Inc | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Avalon Holding Inc | Operational/Managerial Control · Organization | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Avalon Holding Inc | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Avalon Real Estate LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Dangerfield, David | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Hash, Alan | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 17 facilities |
| Hash, Alan | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 17 facilities |
| Hyrum A Kirton Individual Tr | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Hyrum A Kirton Individual Tr | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Johnson, Allen | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Johnson, Allen | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| K-Team LLC | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| K-Team LLC | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Kirton, Byron | Indirect Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Byron | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Byron | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Hyrum | Indirect Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Hyrum | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Hyrum | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Hyrum | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Spencer | Indirect Ownership Interest · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Spencer | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Kirton, Spencer | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
| Nelson, Melissa | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Nelson, Melissa | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Peacehealth | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Spencer K Kirton Individual Tr | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Spencer K Kirton Individual Tr | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| The Byron A Kirton Individual Tr | Indirect Ownership Interest · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| The Byron A Kirton Individual Tr | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 3 facilities |
| Woltil, Robert | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 15 facilities |
·
Fire safety
14 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Smoke10F
- E
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
- E
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- E
Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- D
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- F
Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- E
Install smoke barrier doors that can resist smoke for at least 20 minutes.
- F
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- D
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems3F
- D
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- D
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
Emergency Preparedness1F
- F
Establish policies and procedures including evacuation.
·
Other homes nearby
-
Alderwood Park Health And Rehab Of Cascadia
Bellingham, WA · Cascadia Healthcare
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 44 min
- Fines
- $0
-
Rock Hill Health & Rehabilitation
Bellingham, WA
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- L
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 59 min
- Fines
- $74,794
-
North Cascades Health and Rehabilitation
Bellingham, WA · Evergreen Healthcare Group · Abuse icon
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- J
- Nursing / resident / day
- 4 h
- Fines
- $249,520