Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Knollwood Nursing Center
87 Briarwood Circle, Worcester, MA · (508) 853-6910
- Certified beds
- 82
- Residents per day
- 76
- Ownership
- Non-Profit
- Chain
- No chain reported
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- January 7, 1970
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.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in Massachusetts.
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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.
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Quality measures
★★★★★+1 star
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
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Overall
★★★★★5 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among Massachusetts homes
Knollwood Nursing Center carries 26 inspection points. That is fewer than 63% of Massachusetts's 339 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in Massachusetts: 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★ 0–6 pts
- 4★ 6–24 pts
- 3★ 24–41 pts
- 2★ 41–76 pts
- 1★ over 76 pts
Bars show every rated home in Massachusetts 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
14 health citations on record since 2023. 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.
No citation on record at the harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
Everything else, by area of care
Quality of Life and Care4D
- D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- 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
Assist a resident in gaining access to vision and hearing services.
- D
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Nutrition and Dietary3E
- E
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- E
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
- D
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning3D
- D
Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.
- B
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Administration1D
- D
Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies.
Environmental1D
- D
Regularly inspect all bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails (if any) for safety; and all bed rails and mattresses must attach safely to the bed frame.
Pharmacy Service1D
- D
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Infection Control1D
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspection history
2025-12-15
5 health deficiencies · 4 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Quality of Life and Care (2 deficiencies)
2024-08-27
8 health deficiencies · 9 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nutrition and Dietary (2 deficiencies)
2023-05-09
1 health deficiencies · 0 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Assessment and Care Planning (1 deficiency)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 4 h 16 min of nursing staff time a day, 47 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
4 h 16 min
Massachusetts average
3 h 56 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days1.4 pts better | 0.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days0.7 pts better | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine0.9 pts better | 93.8% | 92.9% | 93.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine6.5 pts better | 100.0% | 93.5% | 95.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury3.1 pts worse | 6.5% | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who have depressive symptoms16.1 pts better | 1.3% | 17.4% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who lose too much weight3.5 pts worse | 8.5% | 5.0% | 5.1% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antianxiety or hypnotic medication16 pts better | 3.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication7.3 pts better | 14.2% | 21.5% | 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 worsened4.6 pts worse | 18.5% | 13.9% | 12.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased4.8 pts better | 11.0% | 15.8% | 13.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder1.4 pts worse | 2.1% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection3.8 pts worse | 5.5% | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with new or worsened bowel or bladder incontinence10 pts worse | 30.4% | 20.4% | 18.3% |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers1 pts better | 3.2% | 4.2% | 4.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine4.4 pts better | 83.3% | 78.9% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit3 pts better | 8.8% | 11.8% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication1.8 pts worse | 3.2% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine13.7 pts better | 91.8% | 78.1% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission8.8 pts better | 16.9% | 25.7% | 23.4% |
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Who owns and runs it
3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler, Paul | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Dudley, Elaine | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Martel, Patricia | Corporate Director · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
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Fire safety
13 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Emergency Preparedness4D
- D
Establish policies and procedures for sheltering.
- D
Establish roles under a Waiver declared by secretary.
- D
Address patient/client population and determine types of services needed.
- D
Include a process for Emergency Preparedness collaboration.
Smoke3F
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- D
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Egress3F
- D
Add doors in an exit area that do not require the use of a key from the exit side unless in case of special locking arrangements.
- F
Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.
- D
Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems2F
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- F
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Miscellaneous1F
- F
Have simulated fire drills held at unexpected times.
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Other homes nearby
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Regalcare At Worcester
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★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- E
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 39 min
- Fines
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Odd Fellows Home of Massachusetts
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- Nursing / resident / day
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Holy Trinity Eastern Orthodox N & R Center
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- Nursing / resident / day
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