Highland Community Hospital
An acute care hospital in Picayune, Mississippi 39466
130 Highland Pkwy, Picayune, Mississippi 39466. (601) 358-9400.
- Medicare payments cut under the HAC Reduction Program (fiscal year 2026)
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 20, 2026.
- 1of 5 CMS’s overall rating
- Not rated patient survey rating
- 3 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 60 beds
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean3
- Star ratings
- CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
The last inspection on record was on Feb 12, 2026: a complaint inspection.
3 deficiencies cited in the last three years.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
When those deficiencies happened
3 deficiencies in 2 months of the last 36. Last cited Jul 2025. Most serious: Standard-level. The last 3 years, to Nov 5, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, as cited
Rule titles as CMS’s inspectors cite them, set in sentence case.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Jul 7, 2025: standard inspection2 deficiencies
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Initial Comments - Not A Deficiency Citation
“42 CFR 482.41(b) The facility must meet the applicable provisions of the 2012 (existing) Edition of the Life Safety Code (LSC) of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). ________”
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Vertical Openings - Enclosure
The inspectors’ words, 180 words
“Vertical Openings - Enclosure CFR(s): NFPA 101 Vertical Openings - Enclosure 2012 EXISTING Stairways, elevator shafts, light and ventilation shafts, chutes, and other vertical openings between floors are enclosed with construction having a fire resistance rating of at least 1 hour. An atrium may be used in accordance with 8.6. 19.3.1.1 through 19.3.1.6 If all vertical openings are properly enclosed with construction providing at least a 2-hour fire resistance rating, also check this box. This Standard is not met as evidenced by: 20543 Based on observations and review, the facility failed to properly protect vertical openings as required by NFPA 101 chapter 19.3.1.1, 19.3.1.6 and NFPA 101 chapter 8.6. This deficiency practice affected the entire facility on the day of survey. Findings Include: During the building inspection on 7/7/25 at 3:40 pm, observation and document review revealed the facility could not provide adequate documentation and/or floor plans proving the 2nd floor Atrium was properly separated from the open stairwell of the facility. No documentation evidence of a fire wall, fire doors, or fire windows around the atrium could be provided.”
Oct 14, 2024: complaint inspection1 deficiency
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Nursing Care Plan
The inspectors’ words, 306 words
“NURSING CARE PLAN CFR(s): 482.23(b)(4) The hospital must ensure that the nursing staff develops, and keeps current, a nursing care plan for each patient that reflects the patient’s goals and the nursing care to be provided to meet the patient’s needs. The nursing care plan may be part of an interdisciplinary care plan. This Standard is not met as evidenced by: 40118 Based on staff interviews, medical record reviews and reviews of facility policy and procedures, the facility failed document assessment/reassessment of pain for approximately five (5) hours while Patient #1 was receiving tests in preparation for surgery on one (1) out of three (3) medical records reviewed, Patient #1. Findings Include: An interview with the Administrator on 10/14/2024 at 5:31 p.m., confirmed the medical record has no documentation of pain assessments after 6:42 p.m. and that Patient #1 should have been assessed/reassessed for pain and received treatment while in the Emergency Department. The Administrator also confirmed the facility’s only policy on pain management is for “Patient Controlled Analgesic (PCA) Pumps”. Review of Patient #1’s medical record titled “Pain Assessment flow sheet,” revealed that the patient had a pain assessment on 04/05/2024 at 6:40 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. and no further pain assessment or reassessment was documented in the medical record until 4:30 a.m. after surgery was completed. Review of the patient’s medical record titled “Patient Care Timeline,” revealed the provider ordered Zofran 4 milligram (mg) injection and Morphine 2 mg injection at 12:04 a.m. Review of the timeline revealed there was no pain scale assessment or pain reassessment documented during this time frame. Review of facility submitted documentation revealed the facility’s Pain Management Policy only addressed the use of PCA pumps. Exit conference held 10/14/2024 at 6:05 p.m. with Administrator, Chief Nursing Officer and Patient Advocate to discuss survey findings with no further information submitted.”
All 5 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 12, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jan 29, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jul 10, 2025 | Standard inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jul 7, 2025 | Standard inspection | 2 deficiencies cited |
| Oct 14, 2024 | Complaint inspection | 1 deficiency cited |
How do patients fare?
- CMS’s overall CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System. for it is 1 of 5.
- Of the measures behind its CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System., CMS counts against the national value: mortality, 0 better and 1 worse of 4; safety of care, 0 better and 0 worse of 3; readmission, 0 better and 2 worse of 5.
- CMS gives no CMS rates some kinds of place from 1 to 5 stars, more stars meaning better on CMS’s own measures for that kind: for a nursing home, its health inspections, staffing and quality measures. A rating is CMS’s summary of those measures; it doesn’t promise good care. Source: CMS, Care Compare and the Five-Star Quality Rating System.: “The number of cases/patients is too few to report a star rating.”
- In CMS’s patient survey (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): 82% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 83% would definitely recommend it.
- Infections, compared by CMS with the national benchmark (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): catheter urinary tract infections (CAUTI), no different than national benchmark; C. diff infections, no different than national benchmark.
- CMS’s patient safety composite for serious complications, PSI 90, Jul 1, 2022 to Jun 30, 2024: no different than the national value.
- Deaths within 30 days, as CMS gives them (Jul 1, 2022 to Jun 30, 2025): heart failure 11.4%, pneumonia 17.9%, COPD 9%. CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for them in this release.
- Readmissions within 30 days, as CMS gives them (Jul 1, 2023 to Jun 30, 2025): heart failure 21.5%, pneumonia 17.2%, COPD 20.8%. CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for them in this release.
- After outpatient care, compared by CMS: unplanned hospital visits after a colonoscopy, no different than the national rate.
- Emergency department patients spent a median of 124 minutes there before leaving (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025), and 3% left before being seen.
- 76% of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock got the care CMS measures, SEP-1 (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025).
- Medicare’s spending per patient here is 1.11 times the national median (Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024).
CMS, Hospital General Information, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital, Healthcare Associated Infections - Hospital, Timely and Effective Care - Hospital and Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary - Hospital. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Complications and Deaths - Hospital and Unplanned Hospital Visits - Hospital. Released Sep 30, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Measure | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall ratingCMS’s overall hospital quality star rating, 1 to 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Patient survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of the hospital’s patients (HCAHPS), 1 to 5 | Not rated |
Is it certified, and in good standing?
- Medicare-certified acute care hospital since Oct 6, 1971.
- Ownership: government - local.
- It is not accredited by a private organisation, so the state carries out its routine inspections for Medicare.
- No For hospices, home health agencies, hospitals and dialysis facilities, CMS writes deficiencies at two levels. Standard is the usual one; condition-level is the more serious, when a problem is serious enough that the provider doesn’t meet a whole condition of taking part in Medicare. Source: CMS, State Operations Manual. deficiency on record in the last three years.
- Government - Local.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, Hospital General Information. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
Has it been penalized?
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospitals.
- CMS cut its Medicare payments by 1% for fiscal year 2026 under the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which does so for the quarter of hospitals that fare worst on conditions patients get in hospital.
- 1 deficiency cited in the last three years came from an inspection that included a complaint investigation.
CMS, Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated yearly.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
| Date | What | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare payment reduction (HAC Reduction Program) | Fiscal year 2026: 1% of Medicare payments |
What do patients say about their care?
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for hospitals.
- 52% of its health care workers got a flu shot (Oct 1, 2024 to Mar 31, 2025).
CMS, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital and Timely and Effective Care - Hospital. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
Who owns it?
- Forrest County General Hospital owns 100% directly since May 1, 2006.
- Forrest County General Hospital runs it.
- 17 owners or officers are people: Erik Steele (corporate officer); Erik Steele (corporate director); Lewis E Hatten (corporate officer); Lewis E Hatten (corporate director); Ben R Hester (corporate director, 0%); Ben R Hester (managing employee (on the payroll), 0%); Ben R Hester (runs it (operational or managerial control), 0%); Peggy Answorth (corporate officer); Peggy Answorth (corporate director); Andrew B. Mercier (corporate officer); Andrew B. Mercier (corporate director); Shea Mcnease (corporate officer); Shea Mcnease (corporate director); Jana Causey (corporate officer); Jana Causey (corporate director); Harry Chip Mcarthur (corporate officer); Harry Chip Mcarthur (corporate director).
- CMS’s Provider of Services file records 3 changes of ownership, the latest on May 1, 2006.
- No private-equity firm among the owners CMS lists.
- No real-estate investment trust among the owners CMS lists.
CMS, Hospital All Owners and Hospital Enrollments. Released Sep 29, 2026. Updated monthly.
CMS, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Organisation | Role | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest County General Hospital | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | May 1, 2006 |
| Forrest County General Hospital | Runs it (operational or managerial control) | 100% | May 1, 2006 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 2 hospitals CMS lists in Pearl River County, 1 has an overall star rating from CMS: 1 rated 1 of 5.
- CMS rates this one 1 of 5.
CMS, Hospital General Information. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Overall star rating |
|---|---|
| Pearl River County Hospital | Not given |
What the record doesn’t say
- CMS doesn’t publish fines or other penalties for hospitals, so none are shown. The one payment cut CMS publishes for each hospital, under its Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, is shown where it applies.
- Only complaints that led to a citation appear; complaints that didn’t aren’t published.
- Most hospitals are accredited by a private organisation (The Joint Commission, DNV and others) whose routine inspections stand in for the state’s; those reports aren’t public, and QCOR holds only the state’s surveys: no inspection on record here doesn’t mean none took place.
- QCOR says its hospital inspection data are complete only through September 17, 2026, while it moves to a new system.
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for hospitals.
- In its September 2026 release CMS gives no comparison with the national rate for death and readmission rates, though it gives the rates.
Sources
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital General Information (xubh-q36u).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Patient survey (HCAHPS) - Hospital.
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Healthcare Associated Infections - Hospital (77hc-ibv8).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Complications and Deaths - Hospital (ynj2-r877).
Released Sep 30, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Unplanned Hospital Visits - Hospital (632h-zaca).
Released Sep 30, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Timely and Effective Care - Hospital (yv7e-xc69).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary - Hospital (rrqw-56er).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program (yq43-i98g).
Released Aug 13, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated yearly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Provider of Services File - Hospital & Non-Hospital Facilities (Hospital_and_other.DATA.Q3_2026.csv).
Released Oct 14, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated quarterly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies (Hospital_2567s_2010_to_2026YTD.xlsx).
Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 27, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital All Owners (Hospital_All_Owners_2026.09.29.csv).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital Enrollments (Hospital_Enrollments_2026.09.29.csv).
Released Sep 29, 2026 and checked Nov 5, 2026. Updated monthly. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: CMS. CMS’s own record is on Care Compare. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 5, 2026.
From the hospital
The public record above comes first. Anything the hospital adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the hospital will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the hospital”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.