Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
An acute care hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee 37916
1901 W Clinch Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee 37916. (865) 541-1101.
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The short answer
Record last released by CMS on Oct 20, 2026.
- 3of 5 CMS’s overall rating
- 3of 5 patient survey rating
- 2 deficiencies cited in the last three years
- 517 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 Jul 22, 2026: a complaint inspection.
2 deficiencies cited in the last three years.
CMS, QCOR Hospital 2567 statements of deficiencies. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated monthly.
When those deficiencies happened
2 deficiencies in 2 months of the last 36. Last cited Feb 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 | |
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| 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.
Feb 5, 2025: complaint inspection1 deficiency
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Patient Rights: Care In Safe Setting
The inspectors’ words, 1,043 words
“PATIENT RIGHTS: CARE IN SAFE SETTING CFR(s): 482.13(c)(2) The patient has the right to receive care in a safe setting. This Standard is not met as evidenced by: 49485 Based on review of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, Environmental Cleaning-Intraoperative Areas policy for “Enhanced Environmental Cleaning, pest control report review, observation and interviews, the hospital failed to provide a sanitary environment to avoid sources and transmission of infections in 1 (#13) of 17 surgery suites. The findings include: Review of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, Environmental Cleaning-Intraoperative Areas Including Operating and Procedure Rooms policy for “Enhanced Environmental Cleaning” published 2016 showed,” Implement enhanced environmental cleaning procedures following the care of patients who are infected or colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms. In addition to standard precautions, wear gowns and gloves when performing enhanced environmental cleaning procedures. Clean and disinfect all high-touch objects, in addition to objects cleaned as part of routine cleaning, as part of enhanced environmental cleaning procedures after the patient leaves the OR including storage cabinets, supply carts, and furniture; light switches; door handles and push plates; telephones and mobile communication devices; computer accessories (eg, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen); chairs, stools, and step stools; and trash and linen receptacles. Clean and disinfect floors and walls of operating and procedure rooms after each surgical or invasive procedure if soiled or potentially soiled.” Review of the pest control provider’s report dated 2/4/2025, revealed “...targeted pest...Boric acid... American Cockroach...treated sub-basement for American cockroach...” Interview with the Regulatory Compliance Officer on 2/4/2025 at 3:50 PM, revealed she was unaware of any event involving insects in the surgical suite and she was unaware of the cockroach had landed on a sterile field during surgery. She stated this information should have been reported to her immediately. Interview with the Interim Administrator on 2/4/2025 at 3:50 PM, revealed he was unaware of any incident involving insects in the surgery suites or that a cockroach had landed on a sterile field during surgery. He stated this information had not been reported to him immediately as would be expected. During an interview on 2/4/2025 at 4:00 PM, surgical registered nurse (RN) C stated on 2/3/2025, in surgical suite #13, during a thyroidectomy (removal of the thyroid gland) approximately halfway through the surgery, she heard Surgical Tech (technician) B scream. RN C observed a large cockroach jump from Surgical Tech B’s right arm onto the sterile field containing the surgical instruments. Interview continued and revealed a second surgical nurse, RN E removed the cockroach from the sterile field, placing it in a plastic container. Surgical Tech B had to re-gown, re-scrub (hand washing process to reduce the risk of infection) and re-glove before the surgery could be resumed. Interview revealed the surgeon, Physician A, had another surgery to follow. Interview confirmed there was no terminal cleaning performed in surgical suite #13 following the cockroach incident and before another patient was brought into surgical suite #13 for surgery. During an interview on 2/4/2025 at 4:05 PM, the Environmental Services Director stated he was made aware on 2/3/2025 at 10:00 AM, a cockroach was observed in surgical suite #13. He notified the hospital’s pest control provider immediately. Interview revealed the pest control provider arrived at the facility on 2/4/2025 at 11:00 AM and a picture of the cockroach was provided. Interview revealed the pest control technician identified the insect as an American cockroach and indicated the cockroach most likely entered the facility through the sewage system. During an interview on 2/4/2025 at 4:20 PM, the Director of Surgery stated a thyroidectomy was being performed by Physician A on 2/3/2025. Interview revealed she was told midway through the surgery a large cockroach landed on the back of Surgical Tech B, crawled down the right arm of Surgical Tech B, and landed onto the mayo table (a table with a sterile field which holds the sterile surgical instruments). Interview revealed the mayo table was positioned directly over the patient’s abdomen when the cockroach fell onto the table. Interview revealed the hospital has 17 surgery suites and the previously scheduled surgery for suite #13 was conducted after the usual cleaning between surgery cases. She stated prior to the next surgery case, any other cockroaches were looked for but not observed in surgery suite #13. The interview confirmed the Director of Surgery had contacted the Environmental Services Director immediately, but had not reported the incident to Infection Control or her supervisor. Interview continued and revealed a cockroach was found in the employee break room refrigerator, adjacent to the surgery suites, on 1/23/2025. Interview continued and revealed there were open food containers in the refrigerator. She stated the staff cleaned out both refrigerators and initiated a policy that food left in the refrigerator had to be placed in a sealed container. An observation of the two breakroom refrigerators was conducted on February 5, 2025, at 11:45 AM, revealed several lunch boxes of employees in the two refrigerators with food in sealed containers. During an interview on 2/5/2025 at 9:20 AM, Physician A stated she was performing a thyroidectomy on 2/3/2025 and about halfway through the surgery, while the surgical site was open, Physician A heard a scream from Surgical Tech B. Surgical Tech B was standing at Physician A’s right side and she turned to see why Surgical Tech B screamed and observed a large cockroach jump from Surgical Tech B’s right arm onto the mayo table. She stated the cockroach did not come in contact with the patient at any time. The mayo table was moved away from the patient, the surgical instruments were replaced, and Surgical Tech B replaced her surgical gown and re-scrubbed before the surgery could continue. There was approximately a 15-minute delay but Physician A stated this did not have any effect on the patient. During an interview on 2/5/2025 at 10:15 AM, surgical RN D stated on 2/3/2025, when Surgical Tech B screamed and RN D observed a large cockroach crawl down Surgical Tech B’s right arm onto the mayo table. Interview revealed Surgical Tech B replaced the surgical gown, re-scrubbed, and the surgery resumed. Interview revealed another surgery was scheduled for surgery suite #13 and the suite was cleaned, but not terminally cleaned after the cockroach was observed in the surgery suite.”
Oct 21, 2024: complaint inspection1 deficiency
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Initial Comments - Not A Deficiency Citation
“A Life Safety Code Complaint Investigation #TN00071720 was conducted by the State of Tennessee Health Facilities Commission on 10/21/2024. During this life safety complaint survey, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center was found in substantial compliance with the requirements for participation of Medicare/Medicaid at 42 CFR Subpart 482.41(b), Life Safety from Fire, and the related National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 101-2012 Edition. The requirements at 42 CFR, Subpart 482.41(b) are MET as evidence by:”
All 9 inspections in the last three years
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Feb 26, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jan 20, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jan 8, 2026 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Aug 29, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Jun 24, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Feb 5, 2025 | Complaint inspection | 1 deficiency cited |
| Feb 3, 2025 | Complaint inspection | No deficiencies cited |
| Oct 21, 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 3 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 0 worse of 8; safety of care, 4 better and 0 worse of 8; readmission, 1 better and 2 worse of 11.
- Patients rate it 3 of 5 in CMS’s patient survey (1,219 surveys completed, Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): 67% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10, and 68% would definitely recommend it.
- Infections, compared by CMS with the national benchmark (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025): central line bloodstream infections (CLABSI), better than the national benchmark; catheter urinary tract infections (CAUTI), no different than national benchmark; surgical site infections after colon surgery, better than the national benchmark; surgical site infections after abdominal hysterectomy, no different than national benchmark; MRSA bloodstream infections, no different than national benchmark; C. diff infections, better than the 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 attack 13.1%, heart failure 12.5%, pneumonia 16.4%, COPD 11.4%, stroke 12.5%, heart bypass surgery 3.4%. 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 attack 14.9%, heart failure 22.4%, pneumonia 18.1%, COPD 21%, heart bypass surgery 11.1%, hip or knee replacement 4.7%. 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; hospital admissions after outpatient chemotherapy, no different than the national rate; emergency visits after outpatient chemotherapy, no different than the national rate; unplanned hospital visits after outpatient surgery, no different than expected.
- Emergency department patients spent a median of 234 minutes there before leaving (Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025), and 4% left before being seen.
- 61% 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 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 | 3 of 5 |
| Patient survey ratingCMS star rating from its survey of the hospital’s patients (HCAHPS), 1 to 5 | 3 of 5 |
Is it certified, and in good standing?
- Medicare-certified acute care hospital since Jan 24, 1967.
- Ownership: voluntary non-profit - private.
- It is accredited by The Joint Commission, whose surveys stand in for the state’s routine inspections.
- 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.
- Voluntary non-profit - Private.
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.
- Not among the hospitals whose Medicare payments CMS cut under the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program for fiscal year 2026.
- 2 deficiencies cited in the last three years came from inspections 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.
What do patients say about their care?
- CMS doesn’t publish staffing levels for hospitals.
- In CMS’s patient survey, patients rate how well its nurses communicated 3 of 5.
- 92% 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?
- Covenant Health owns 100% directly since Jul 22, 1996.
- 7 owners or officers are people: Amy Delong (corporate officer); Tabitha M Culbertson (corporate officer); Tabitha M Culbertson (managing employee (on the payroll)); Joseph Christopher Dolan (corporate officer); Rick Carringer (corporate officer); Rick Carringer (managing employee (on the payroll)); James Vandersteeg (corporate officer).
- CMS’s Provider of Services file records no change of ownership.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covenant Health | Owns 5% or more directly | 100% | Jul 22, 1996 |
How does it compare nearby?
- Of the 7 hospitals CMS lists in Knox County, 4 have an overall star rating from CMS: 1 rated 4 of 5, 3 rated 3 of 5.
- CMS rates this one 3 of 5.
CMS, Hospital General Information. Released Aug 13, 2026. Updated quarterly.
| Place | Overall star rating |
|---|---|
| East Tennessee Childrens Hospital | Not given |
| University Health System, Inc. | 4 |
| Physicians Regional Medical Center | 3 |
| Parkwest Medical Center | 3 |
| Knoxville Center for Behavioral Medicine | Not given |
| East Tennessee Behavioral Health | 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.