Desert Mountain Care Center Complaints, Violations and Inspection Records
Data current as of the August 2026 CMS Care Compare release and the CDPH state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024. State citation records cover July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
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What the public record shows
If you are looking into Desert Mountain Care Center in Indio, whether a loved one lives there now or you are considering it, the public record is worth reading before you decide. Federal and state inspectors publish what they find.
Here is what the record shows for this facility, drawn from CMS Care Compare and the California Department of Public Health:
- CMS overall rating: 3 of 5 stars. The health inspection rating, the most independent of the three categories, is 3 of 5.
- California state citations: 4 on record, including 4 class B, with $8,000 in assessed penalties.
- Staffing: 5.21 nursing hours per resident per day. Registered nurse turnover not reported.
- Most recent standard inspection: 8 deficiencies cited on June 26, 2025. The most recent inspection since then was on May 27, 2026: 1 deficiency cited in the complaint inspection.
- Federal enforcement: no federal fines on record in the reported period.
- Ownership: Stagecoach Healthcare, Inc., for-profit, part of The Ensign Group (342 facilities nationally).
Desert Mountain Care Center ratings and staffing
Desert Mountain Care Center is located at 47-763 Monroe Avenue in Indio, Riverside County. It is a for-profit facility operated by Stagecoach Healthcare, Inc., part of The Ensign Group, with 99 certified beds and an average of 92.5 residents a day. It accepts Medicare and Medicaid.
CMS rates every certified nursing home in three separate categories, and the overall star is a blend of them:
- Health inspections, based on what state surveyors observe in person during unannounced visits. Weight this one most heavily, because it does not rely on data the facility reports about itself.
- Staffing, drawn from payroll-based records of how much nursing time each resident actually receives.
- Quality measures, built largely from data the facility submits. Read a high score here with more caution than the other two.
For Desert Mountain Care Center, those scores are: health inspections 3 of 5, staffing 1 of 5, quality measures 5 of 5.
Staffing. Desert Mountain Care Center reports 5.21 total nursing hours per resident per day, of which 0.60 are registered nurse hours. Registered nurses supervise aides, catch medication errors before they reach a resident, and notice when a person's condition is changing. Staffing is the single number that most reliably predicts whether a facility catches a problem early or lets it become a crisis.
How this home compares in the public record
CMS publishes each home's star rating and its payroll-based staffing hours, and it publishes the federal fines it has imposed. The county and California figures beside each number are the averages across those same published records.
These figures are taken from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). They are reported as published and are not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
Homes in Riverside County with a higher CMS overall rating
CMS rates each of these homes above Desert Mountain Care Center on the overall star rating it publishes. The rating is one measure of a facility's record, and each page below carries that home's own inspection findings, staffing hours and citation history.
- The Springs Healthcare Center at the Carlotta, Palm Desert: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Desert Regional Medical Center D/P SNF, Palm Springs: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Riverside Behavioral Healthcare Center, Riverside: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- The Grove Care and Wellness, Riverside: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
- Villa Health Care Center, Riverside: CMS overall rating 5 of 5
These figures are taken from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). They are reported as published and are not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
Federal inspection findings and penalties
Scope and severity A to C means no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. Scope and severity D to F means no actual harm, with potential for more than minimal harm. Scope and severity G to I means actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy. Scope and severity J to L means immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
May 27, 2026, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.
- F0690Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. (scope and severity D)
May 13, 2026, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity E)
April 17, 2026, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
- F0686Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. (scope and severity D)
February 18, 2026, complaint inspection
4 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections, provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services, and keep all essential equipment working safely.
- F0690Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections. (scope and severity D)
- F0697Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services. (scope and severity D)
- F0908Keep all essential equipment working safely. (scope and severity D)
- F0921Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public. (scope and severity D)
June 26, 2025, standard inspection
8 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist, procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards, and allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate.
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity E)
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity E)
- F0554Allow residents to self-administer drugs if determined clinically appropriate. (scope and severity D)
- F0761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (scope and severity D)
- F0790Provide routine and 24-hour emergency dental care for each resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0806Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options. (scope and severity D)
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity D)
- F0908Keep all essential equipment working safely. (scope and severity D)
June 4, 2025, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity D)
April 22, 2025, complaint inspection
3 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for ensure that the facility has sufficient staff members who possess the competencies and skills to meet the behavioral health needs of residents, ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents, and provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F0741Ensure that the facility has sufficient staff members who possess the competencies and skills to meet the behavioral health needs of residents. (scope and severity E)
- F0689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (scope and severity D)
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity D)
April 1, 2025, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity D)
January 23, 2025, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity E)
November 5, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
- F0689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. (scope and severity D)
July 30, 2024, complaint inspection
2 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely and provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable.
- F0584Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely. (scope and severity E)
- F0677Provide care and assistance to perform activities of daily living for any resident who is unable. (scope and severity D)
June 4, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests.
- F0925Make sure there is a pest control program to prevent/deal with mice, insects, or other pests. (scope and severity E)
April 25, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity D)
February 14, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity E)
January 29, 2024, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity D)
November 3, 2023, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
- F0609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (scope and severity D)
September 12, 2023, complaint inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
- F0609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. (scope and severity D)
August 27, 2021, standard inspection
16 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for 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, ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs, and provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- F0688Provide 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. (scope and severity E)
- F0761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. (scope and severity E)
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity E)
- F0558Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. (scope and severity D)
- F0578Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive. (scope and severity D)
- F0635Provide doctor's orders for the resident's immediate care at the time the resident was admitted. (scope and severity D)
- F0656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (scope and severity D)
- F0657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. (scope and severity D)
- F0658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality. (scope and severity D)
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity D)
- F0755Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist. (scope and severity D)
- F0756Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures. (scope and severity D)
- F0758Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited. (scope and severity D)
- F0773Provide or obtain laboratory tests/services when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results. (scope and severity D)
- F0776Provide timely, approved x-ray services, or have an agreement with an approved provider to obtain them. (scope and severity D)
- F0777Provide or obtain x-rays/tests when ordered and promptly tell the ordering practitioner of the results. (scope and severity D)
Penalties. CMS records show no federal fines for Desert Mountain Care Center in the reported period.
California state citations
California inspects and cites nursing homes separately from the federal government. The Department of Public Health issues three classes of citation. A class AA citation is a class A violation that the Department of Public Health determined was a direct proximate cause of a resident's death. A class A citation is a violation the Department determined presented an imminent danger of death or serious harm to residents, or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result. A class B citation is a violation the Department determined had a direct or immediate relationship to residents' health, safety or security, other than a class AA or A violation.
State records show 4 citations against Desert Mountain Care Center between July 18, 2017 and February 15, 2023: 4 class B, with $8,000 in assessed penalties.
- February 15, 2023, class B, Patient Care. $2,000 penalty.
- June 21, 2018, class B, Patient Care. $2,000 penalty.
- July 18, 2017, class B, Abuse/Facility Not Self Reported. $2,000 penalty.
- July 18, 2017, class B, Other. $2,000 penalty.
Across Riverside County's 54 certified facilities, the average is about 8.4 state citations per facility. Desert Mountain Care Center's 4 is below that average.
A citation records a determination by state surveyors. A citation does not by itself establish that any particular resident was injured or that the facility is liable to anyone.
Other nursing homes in Indio
Families comparing options in Indio often look at these facilities as well. Each link opens that facility's full public record:
- Desert Springs Healthcare & Wellness Centre, 3 stars, 4 state citations
- The Springs Healthcare Center at the Carlotta, 5 stars, 6 state citations (in Riverside County)
- Sundance Creek Post Acute, 2 stars, 7 state citations (in Riverside County)
- Sunrise Post Acute, 2 stars, 7 state citations (in Riverside County)
See every facility in the Riverside County nursing home directory.
Other nursing homes in Riverside County
These are other nursing homes in Riverside County, listed by how close each home's ZIP code is to the ZIP code for Desert Mountain Care Center. The public record gives a street address but no coordinates, so distance is not measured; homes in the same ZIP code appear first. No rating or inspection figure is used to order this list.
- Desert Springs Healthcare & Wellness Centre, Indio
- The Springs Healthcare Center at the Carlotta, Palm Desert
- Sundance Creek Post Acute, Banning
- Sunrise Post Acute, Banning
- Highland Springs Care Center, Beaumont
This list is drawn from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). It is ordered by location only and is not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
What to do if you are worried about care at this facility
You will usually notice something is wrong before anyone official does, and you do not need proof before you act. If you are concerned about care at Desert Mountain Care Center, you can take these steps:
Write down what you see. Note dates, times, and specific concerns, and photograph anything relevant. A clear, contemporaneous record matters if an investigation follows.
File a complaint with the California Department of Public Health. CDPH licenses and inspects skilled nursing facilities and investigates complaints, and a serious complaint can trigger an on-site inspection. You can file online through CDPH's Cal Health Find system, which routes your complaint to the Riverside County licensing district office.
Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The ombudsman is a free advocate who will visit your loved one, look into your concerns, and press the facility on their behalf. Riverside County's ombudsman program can be reached at (833) 772-6624. This is often the fastest first step when the issue is care quality rather than an emergency.
For the full walkthrough, see How to report nursing home abuse in California.
Injuries that most often signal neglect
The injuries below are the ones most often at issue in California nursing home cases. Any one of them at Desert Mountain Care Center is a reason to ask what the facility's own records show:
- Bedsores and pressure ulcers, especially a wound that reached stage 3 or 4
- Falls and fractures in a resident who was supposed to be supervised
- Wandering and elopement from a building that was not secured
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Sepsis and untreated infections
- Medication errors
- Wrongful death, when neglect contributed to a resident's passing
Nursing home abuse claims in Riverside County
If a loved one was harmed at Desert Mountain Care Center, these pages explain how Riverside County families pursue the most common nursing home claims, each with local facility data and the county long-term care ombudsman:
- Riverside County bedsore lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home neglect lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home fall lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home wrongful death lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home sepsis lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home dehydration and malnutrition lawyer
- Riverside County nursing home medication error lawyer
You can also compare every home in the Riverside County nursing home directory.
Are There Lawsuits Against Desert Mountain Care Center?
This page reports federal and state inspection, complaint and enforcement records for Desert Mountain Care Center. Those records are separate from civil lawsuits: a government citation is not a lawsuit, and a facility can be sued without ever being cited. This site does not track civil court filings. Civil cases against California skilled nursing facilities are usually filed in the Superior Court of the county where the facility is located; records for Riverside County are searchable through the Riverside County Superior Court's online case records. If your family member was injured at Desert Mountain Care Center, the records that matter most are usually the resident's own: nursing notes, care plans, fall-risk assessments, wound records, medication administration records, physician orders and incident reports. Talk to us about what happened.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Desert Mountain Care Center a good nursing home?
- CMS gives Desert Mountain Care Center an overall rating of 3 of 5 stars, with a health inspection rating of 3 of 5 based on in-person state surveys. California has issued 4 state citations against the facility. A rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Read it alongside the inspection dates and what you see for yourself.
- What should I do if my loved one was injured at Desert Mountain Care Center?
- Document the injury with dated photos, request the care plan and treatment records, and report your concern to the California Department of Public Health and the Riverside County Long-Term Care Ombudsman. If the injury is serious, such as a bedsore, a fall, or an untreated infection, you can also speak with a nursing home attorney about whether you have a claim.
- Has Desert Mountain Care Center been fined or cited for serious violations?
- Public records show 4 California state citations with $8,000 in state penalties.
- How many state citations does Desert Mountain Care Center have?
- The California Department of Public Health has issued 4 citations against Desert Mountain Care Center in Indio between July 18, 2017 and February 15, 2023: 4 class B, with $8,000 in assessed penalties.
- How do I report a problem at Desert Mountain Care Center?
- File a complaint with CDPH through its Cal Health Find system, or contact the Riverside County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (833) 772-6624. In an emergency, call Adult Protective Services or 911.
If your loved one was harmed
We came to this work from the other side. We spent years defending nursing homes, which means we know how a facility builds a file to protect itself and where the gaps in that file tend to be. Under California's Elder Abuse Act (Welfare and Institutions Code sections 15600 to 15675), a family that proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that neglect was committed with recklessness, oppression, fraud or malice can recover remedies beyond an ordinary injury claim, including attorney's fees (section 15657).
If your loved one was harmed at Desert Mountain Care Center, talk to our Riverside County nursing home abuse lawyers. We handle cases in Indio and across California. The consultation is free and confidential, we are available around the clock, and you owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Call (888) 999-0169. Available 24/7. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
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Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare: Desert Mountain Care Center provider record, CCN 555742. Ratings, staffing, and federal deficiency data processed August 1, 2026.
- CMS Provider Data Catalog: Provider Information, Penalties, and Health Deficiencies datasets.
- California Department of Public Health, Cal Health Find: Desert Mountain Care Center state license record, FACID 250001382, license 250000584.
- California Department of Public Health, Health Facilities State Enforcement Actions dataset (CHHS Open Data), citations July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
Disclaimer
The inspection data, ratings, citations, staffing figures, and ownership information on this page come from public sources, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (medicare.gov) and the California Department of Public Health. This information is reported as published by those sources and may not reflect the most current findings or conditions at the facility. Deficiencies and citations listed may have been corrected or appealed since the date shown. Inclusion of Desert Mountain Care Center in this directory is not a statement, allegation, or suggestion that the facility has committed abuse, neglect, or any wrongdoing. This page is attorney advertising and an information resource. It is not legal advice, and using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Young & Wallin is not affiliated with Desert Mountain Care Center, and neither the facility nor any government agency endorses this page.