Five-Star Ratings in SC

The population of aging adults is continually growing in South Carolina, and the need for transparency like this is becoming more urgent. A report from “The Packet” has provided a list of the best and worst low country nursing homes in 2025. The quality of care for your loved one can vary dramatically from one zip code to another. It is important to recognize where some facilities fall short in their levels of care and service.

Facilities have been rated on an enhanced five-star rating system from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since 2008. 187 facilities have been examined in the Palmetto State. The CMS rating system is based on staffing, health inspections and quality measures of each facility.

According to CMS, nursing homes that participating in Medicare or Medicaid programs have an onsite inspection at least every 15 months. These inspections are sometimes unannounced and are conducted by state employees for compliance with federal requirements. Criteria for grading includes; facility practice, facility policies, resident rights, quality of life, medication management, skin care, resident assessment, nursing home Administration, environment,
kitchen/food services, total staffing, RN staffing and staff turnover.

Facilities are scored on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 being, much below average, 2 is below average, 3 is average, 4 is above average and 5 is much above average. The 5 star quality rating system is determined by using nearly 400,000 records for the health inspection domain alone, according to CMS.

These scores are based on the three most recent surveys for each nursing home, complaint deficiencies, infection control and any repeat inspections. Fire safety and emergency preparedness data also influence the grading system. These quality measures are based on the nursing homes performance as a whole, not just a single resident’s experience. Below are the facilities for elder care in the Lowcountry region that were scored by CMS this past April.

4 and 5-star ratings:
● Broad Creek Care Center – 5 stars: Much above average
● The Preston Health Center – 5 stars: Much above average
● Fraser Health Care – 5 stars: Much above average
● Life Care Center of Hilton Head – 5 stars: Much above average
● Sprenger Health Care of Port Royal – 5 stars: Much above average
● Candler Skilled Nursing – 5 stars: Much above average
● Oaks Health Center at the Marshes of Skidaway Island – 4 stars: Above average

3-star ratings:
● NHC Healthcare – 3 stars: Average
● Sprenger Healthcare of Bluffton – 3 stars: Average
● Pruitthealth – Seaside – 3 stars: Average
● Azalealand Nursing Home – 3 stars: Average
● Resorts at Pooler Inc. – 3 stars: Average
● Abercorn Rehabilitation Center – 3 stars: Average

Worst Facilities 1 and 2-star ratings
● Oceanside Care Center LLC – 2 stars: Below average
● Tybee Island Care Center LLC – 1 star: Much below average
● Resorts at Beaufort – 2 stars: Below average
● Thunderbolt Care Center LLC – 1 star: Much below average
● Ridgeland Nursing Center Inc. – 1 star: Much below average
● Savannah Post Acute LLC – 1 star: Much below average
● Riverview Health & Rehab Center – 1 star: Much below average

○ This facility was also cited for abuse.
● Pruitthealth – 1 star: Much below