Report a nursing home concern
Report a concern
Anyone can use this: a resident’s relative, an employee, a visitor, a contractor. A name is optional.
Reports go to the facility’s ownership and its attorneys. CareGuard is a Patient Safety Organization, not a regulator, and keeps no copy. This does not replace emergency or state reporting — call 911, the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline, or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
What should I include when I report a nursing home concern?
- The facility, and the unit or wing if you know it.
- What you saw or heard, in plain words, with a date.
- Whether it has happened before.
- Whether you already raised it with the facility, and what happened.
What should I leave out of a report?
- A resident’s full name, if room number and date will do. Keep identifiable health information out of a web form.
- Photographs of a hazard help; photographs of residents do not. The form accepts an upload. A broken grab bar, an unlocked medication cart, a blocked exit or a wet floor is worth photographing. A resident, a wound or a chart is not — keep identifiable people and health information out of it.
More detail before you send
Who can report a concern about a nursing home?
- Relatives and visitors — what to expect.
- Facility employees — what to expect.
- Contractors, vendors, volunteers and clergy — the same channel, no employment relationship required. Who can report.
What happens after I send a report?
The report is transmitted to the facility’s ownership and to the attorneys ownership has designated. CareGuard keeps no copy, which means there is no status to check afterwards and no case number to hold. Why it is built that way.
Frequently asked questions
Can I report a nursing home anonymously?
Yes. A name is optional on the CareGuard reporting form, and anyone can use it: a resident’s relative, an employee, a visitor or a contractor. You do not need to work for the facility. Keep a resident’s full name and other identifiable health information out of the form; a room number and a date usually do the job.
How do I file a complaint about a nursing home in Missouri?
This form sends your report to the facility’s ownership and its attorneys; it is not a state complaint. For suspected abuse or neglect, or anything urgent, use the official routes: call 911, the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-392-0210, or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 800-309-3282. CareGuard is a Patient Safety Organization, not a regulator.
Can I check the status of my report?
No. The report is transmitted to the facility’s ownership and to the attorneys ownership has designated, and CareGuard keeps no copy. That means there is no status to check afterwards and no case number to hold. If a concern is urgent or involves abuse or neglect, call 911 or the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800-392-0210.
Can I send photos with my report?
Yes, the form accepts an upload. Photograph the hazard, not the person: a broken grab bar, an unlocked medication cart, a blocked exit or a wet floor is worth a picture. A resident, a wound or a chart is not. Keep identifiable people and health information out of what you send.