Home / Florida / Fort Walton Beach
Emerald Coast Center
114 Third Street Se, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 · Okaloosa County · (850) 243-6134
120 certified beds, about 102 residents a day · For profit - Individual · Medicare and Medicaid since 1973
Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
4 of 5
Health inspections
4 of 5
Staffing
3 of 5
Quality measures
4 of 5
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 105265 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on September 25, 2025, inspectors cited 3 health deficiencies (the Florida average is 7.1, the national average 9.2).
Of 15 health citations since April 2023, 2 were rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy to residents.
CMS lists 2 fines totaling $17,114 in the last three years; the largest was $8,557, and the latest is dated April 26, 2024.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 3.23 hours per resident per day, against 3.82 across Florida and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.58 of those hours.
42.2% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Florida average 41.4%).
CMS links it to Hearthstone Senior Communities, an affiliated group of 8 nursing homes.
Health inspections
Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.
Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.
404/23
204/24
607/24
309/25
Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit
Where its citations fall on CMS's grid
CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 15 health citations on file.
Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
0J
0K
0L
Actual harm
2G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
11D
0E
1F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
1B
0C
September 25, 2025Standard inspection · 3 citations
- D Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, staff interviews, and record review, the facility failed to honor residents right to dignity for 1 of 1 sampled residents sampled. (Resident #59)
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, record review, and interviews, the facility failed to develop and implement a comprehensive person-centered care plan for 1 of 1 resident sampled for pain. (Resident #3)
- D Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, staff interviews, and record reviews, the facility failed to complete an assessment of the residents' capabilities and deficits to determine whether or not supervision and/or assistance was needed for 1 of 3 sampled residents sampled for smoking. (Resident #80)
July 18, 2024Standard inspection · 6 citations
- D Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interview, family interviews, and policy review, the facility failed to notify the resident or responsible party of the risks and benefits of an anti-psychotic medication and alternative treatment options, prior to initiating the medication for 1 of 5 sampled residents reviewed for unnecessary medications. (Resident #95)
- D Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, resident record review, interviews and facility policy review, the facility failed to evaluate a resident for self-administration of medications for 1 of 1 residents sampled (Resident # 61).
- D PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
Inspectors wroteBased upon record review, observations, and interviews the facility failed to verify the correctness of the Level I PASRR and to ensure a Level II PASRR screening was completed for resident 85 with a mental health condition.
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased upon observations, record reviews, and interviews, the facility failed to provide a comprehensive person-centered care plan for four out of twenty-five residents reviewed. (Resident #95, #97, #39, and #85)
- D Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation and interview, the facility failed to maintain garbage and refuse properly in dumpsters and around the perimeter of the facility.
- D Inform resident or representatives choice to enter into binding arbitration agreement and right to refuse.
Inspectors wroteBased upon record review, resident interview, and staff interview, the facility failed to provide a clear understanding of the arbitration agreement prior to having residents sign this agreement for two of three residents. (Resident #353 and #354)
April 26, 2024Complaint inspection · 2 citations
- G Not transfer or discharge a resident without an adequate reason; and must provide documentation and convey specific information when a resident is transferred or discharged.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interview, resident interview, hospital staff interview, and policy review, the facility failed to appropriately document the discharge of a resident into law enforcement custody, failed to permit the resident to remain in the facility by informing law enforcement of an active warrant and pressuring law enforcement to remove the resident from the facility, and failed to convey necessary information regarding resident medical conditions and required medications to law enforcement, resulting in the resident presenting to the hospital emergency room for treatment of high blood glucose for 1 of 1 sampled residents discharged into the custody of law enforcement. (Resident #1)
- G Provide timely notification to the resident, and if applicable to the resident representative and ombudsman, before transfer or discharge, including appeal rights.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interviews, and facility policy review, the facility failed to notify the resident and the resident's representative in writing of the reason for discharge, effective date of discharge, discharge location, the resident's appeal rights, and the Ombudsman contact information prior to discharge, and with at least 30 days advance notice for 1 of 1 sampled residents reviewed for facility-initiated discharge, who was discharged into the custody of law enforcement. (Resident #1)
April 13, 2023Standard inspection · 4 citations
- F Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, interview and facility policy review, the facility failed to monitor the facility kitchen's dishwasher wash and rinse temperatures for compliance to protect residents and machine efficiency. This had the potential to affect all residents that ate orally, which is 92 total residents.
- D Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, staff and resident Interview, and record review, the facility failed to honor residents rights for the use of personal property for 1 of 1 residents reviewed for resident rights. (Resident #74)
- D 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.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, resident interview, staff interviews, and policy review, the facility failed to provide recommended restorative services for 1 of 2 residents reviewed for limited range of motion. (Resident #99)
- B Coordinate assessments with the pre-admission screening and resident review program; and referring for services as needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on record review, staff interview, and policy review, the facility failed to refer a resident with a diagnosis of a serious mental disorder for a Level II Pre-admission Screening And Resident Review (PASARR) screening for 4 of 4 sampled residents reviewed. (Resident #43, #29, #80, and #22)
Fire safety inspections
16 fire safety citations on file: 2 on July 29, 2026, 3 on September 25, 2025, 4 on July 18, 2024, 7 on April 13, 2023.
Every fire safety citation16 citations
- F Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.
- D Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- D Address subsistence needs for staff and patients.
- D Implement emergency and standby power systems.
- D Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- D Have exits that are accessible at all times.
- D Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- D Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
- D To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.
- D Create arrangements with other facilities to receive patients.
- D Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
- D Properly select, install, inspect, or maintain portable fire extinguishes.
- D Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.
- D Have properly sized and located compartments to protect residents from smoke.
- D Have posted "No-smoking" signs in areas where smoking is not permitted or ashtrays provided where smoking was allowed.
- D Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Fines and payment denials
| Date | Penalty | Amount or length |
|---|---|---|
| April 26, 2024 | Fine | $8,557 |
| April 26, 2024 | Fine | $8,557 |
A payment denial means Medicare and Medicaid stopped paying for new admissions for that period.
Staffing
Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.
| Measure | This home | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 3.23 | 3.82 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 0.58 | 0.73 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 3.12 | 3.49 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.09 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 0.55 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 42.2% | 41.4% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 52.4% | 46.0% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | 3 |
CMS expects 3.28 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.
Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records
Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 3.28 on weekdays and 3.12 on weekends, 5% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 0.1% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 3.26 in April to June 2025 to 3.23 in January to March 2026.
| Quarter | All nursing staff | Registered nurses | Weekdays | Weekends | Contract staff share | Days with no RN hours | Residents a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.23 | 0.58 | 3.28 | 3.12 | 0.1% | 0 of 90 | 102 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 3.23 | 0.47 | 3.28 | 3.12 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 103 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 3.25 | 0.52 | 3.30 | 3.12 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 101 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 3.26 | 0.53 | 3.33 | 3.10 | 0.5% | 0 of 91 | 105 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Florida, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.76 | 0.70 | 3.90 | 3.44 | 1.1% | 0.2% of days |
Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 9.5 | 8.7 | 13.9 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 3.2 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 14.1 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 6.9 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 11.7 | 8.6 | 15.4 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 23.4 | 26.1 | 23.8 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 17.9 | 9.1 | 12.0 |
| Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.9 |
| Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.8 |
Owners and operators
Legal business name: EMERALD COAST REHABILITATION CENTER LLC. CMS links this home to Hearthstone Senior Communities, a group of 8 nursing homes averaging 1.9 stars overall.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hearthstone Senior Communities, Inc. | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | Organization | 100% | 04/01/2009 |
| Garner, Alvin | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/2009 | |
| Jaffe, Howard | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/2009 | |
| Rombold, Lori | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/2009 | |
| Wyatt, Brian | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/2009 | |
| Consulting Support Services, LLC | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 06/28/2011 | |
| Facility Support Company, LLC | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 12/13/2010 | |
| Kane Financial Services, LLC | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 06/06/2012 | |
| Themis Health Management, LLC | Operational/managerial control | Organization | 09/01/2009 | |
| Hardy-Fauber, Tammy | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 04/27/2021 | |
| McKay, Sherri | Operational/managerial control | Individual | 04/01/2009 | |
| Consulting Support Services, LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 04/08/2025 | |
| Facility Support Company, LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 03/19/2025 | |
| Hearthstone Senior Communities, Inc. | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 04/08/2025 | |
| Kane Financial Services, LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 03/19/2025 | |
| Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 08/01/2003 | |
| Select Rehabilitation, LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 08/19/2016 | |
| Themis Health Management, LLC | Adp of the SNF | Organization | 04/08/2025 | |
| Hardy-Fauber, Tammy | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 04/27/2021 | |
| McKay, Sherri | Adp of the SNF | Individual | 04/01/2009 |
As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.
Questions to ask on a visit
Chosen from this home's own inspection record.
- How do residents and families raise a complaint or grievance, and how fast is it answered?Inspectors cited 6 problems in this area, most recently on September 25, 2025: "Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights."
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 4 problems in this area, most recently on September 25, 2025: "Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured."
- How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on September 25, 2025: "Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents."
- Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on July 18, 2024: "Dispose of garbage and refuse properly."
- Who is on the floor on Saturday and Sunday, and how many residents does each aide care for?Weekend nurse staffing here was 3.12 hours per resident per day, below the Florida average of 3.49.
- How long has the current administrator been here?CMS counts 3 administrators who left in the period it measured.
Other nursing homes nearby
- Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Fort Walton Beach, 3.6 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 3 citations
- Fort Walton Rehabilitation Center, LLC Fort Walton Beach, 4.2 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 5 citations
- Destination Health and Rehabilitation Center Destin, 8.1 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 0 citations
- Manor at Blue Water Bay, the Niceville, 12.4 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 1 citation
- Grand Boulevard Health and Rehabilitation Center Miramar Beach, 17.7 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 6 citations
- Silvercrest Health and Rehabilitation Center Crestview, 22.3 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 7 citations
- Aviata at Shoal Creek Crestview, 22.5 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 14 citations
- Crestview Rehabilitation Center, LLC Crestview, 24.9 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 4 citations
Florida contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Florida. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Long Term Care Services Unit, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, 1-888-831-0404. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
- State inspection reports: FloridaHealthFinder, where Florida publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Emerald Coast Center's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Emerald Coast Center 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 for health inspections, 3 for staffing and 4 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Emerald Coast Center get at its last inspection?
- 3 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on September 25, 2025. The Florida average is 7.1.
- Has Emerald Coast Center been fined?
- Yes. CMS lists 2 fines totaling $17,114 in the last three years.
- Does Emerald Coast Center accept Medicaid?
- It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
- Who owns Emerald Coast Center?
- CMS lists 20 owners and managers, and links the home to Hearthstone Senior Communities. Legal business name: EMERALD COAST REHABILITATION CENTER LLC.
Sources
- Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
- Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
- Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
- Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
- Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
- Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
- Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
- NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.