Knoxville Senior AdvisorNHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders is a 160-bed nursing home at 2120 Highland Avenue, Knoxville, certified for Medicare and Medicaid and licensed by Tennessee's Health Facilities Commission as nursing home #319; CMS rates NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders 3 out of 5 stars overall in Care Compare data dated October 1, 2026.
What are NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders's Care Compare star ratings?
CMS rates NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders 3 out of 5 stars overall, with 2 stars for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 5 for quality measures.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| CMS overall rating | 3 of 5 |
| Health inspections (CMS) | 2 of 5 |
| Staffing (CMS) | 3 of 5 |
| Quality measures (CMS) | 5 of 5 |
| Long-stay / short-stay quality (CMS) | 4 / 5 |
| Certification (CMS) | Medicare and Medicaid |
| Certified beds; average daily census | 160; 130.9 |
| Ownership (CMS) | For profit - Corporation |
| Chain (CMS) | National Healthcare Corporation, 72 homes |
| Medicare/Medicaid participation since | February 1, 1977 |
| HFC nursing home license | #319, 160 licensed beds |
| Secured / Alzheimer's beds (HFC) | 0 / 0 |
About 131 residents live there on an average day, 82% of certified beds, above the 80% median for certified homes in the seven counties.
What did NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders's latest health inspection find?
The most recent standard health inspection in CMS's data is dated January 22, 2026 and produced 6 health deficiencies, 6 from the routine survey and 0 from complaint visits.
Looking one cycle back to February 2, 2024, CMS shows 13 deficiencies. Nearby certified homes have a median of 4 in their latest cycle, so this home sits above that mark.
Within CMS's three-year penalty window it shows 1 fine totaling $9,770 and 0 payment denials.
Tennessee's own enforcement file adds: November 17, 2017: Type B Civil Monetary Penalty Assessed.
How many nursing hours do residents of NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders receive?
CMS's payroll-based figures credit NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders with 3.89 total nurse hours per resident per day (above the seven-county median of 3.49), of which 0.49 are RN hours.
Nurse aides account for 2.18 hours per resident day. Weekend total nurse staffing is 3.48 hours per resident day. Nursing staff turnover is 49.3%, below the seven-county median of 52.9%; RN turnover is 31.3%. CMS counts 0 administrator departures in its measurement period.
Who can pay for a stay at NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders?
CMS lists NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders as certified for Medicare and Medicaid, so it can bill Medicare for qualifying short-term skilled stays and TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid) for long-term residents who qualify through CHOICES Group 1.
Medicare's skilled nursing benefit requires a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days and pays in full only for the first 20 days; a daily coinsurance applies from day 21 to day 100. Long-term custodial care is paid privately, by long-term care insurance, or by TennCare. TennCare residents keep a $50 monthly personal needs allowance; the rest of their income goes toward the cost of care.
Which nursing homes are closest to NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders?
The closest other certified nursing home is Fort Sanders Transitional Care Unit in Knoxville (0.2 mi, CMS 5 of 5), and the nearest acute-care hospital is Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, about 0.5 miles away.
| Facility | Miles (straight line) | Licensed beds | CMS overall rating | Latest CMS health inspection | Health deficiencies (latest cycle) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Sanders Transitional Care Unit 1901 Clinch Avenue, 37916 | 0.2 | 24 | 5 of 5 | June 17, 2026 | 1 |
| NHC HealthCare, Knoxville 809 East Emerald Avenue, 37917 | 2.4 | 115 | 3 of 5 | April 29, 2026 | 1 |
| Island Home Park Health and Rehab 1758 Hillwood Drive, 37920 | 2.7 | 95 | 4 of 5 | May 20, 2026 | 3 |
| Creekview Health and Rehabilitation 3300 North Broadway Street, 37917 | 3.1 | 91 | 1 of 5 | November 17, 2025 | 6 |
| Lyonsview Health and Rehabilitation Center 5837 Lyons View Pike, 37919 | 3.6 | 222 | 1 of 5 | May 19, 2026 | 5 |
What should families ask before choosing NHC HealthCare, Fort Sanders?
Start with what the record raises: ask for the plan of correction covering the 6 deficiencies from January 22, 2026 and what has been re-checked since.
- Turnover is at or below the local median; ask which charge nurses and aides have been there longest.
- Ask what led to the $9,770 in CMS fines and whether the problem has been closed out.
- With occupancy near 82%, ask which halls have openings and why.
- CMS shows a resident council; ask when it meets and how families raise concerns.
- Ask who the attending physicians are and how often they see long-term residents.
