Charleston Senior AdvisorAshley River Healthcare holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars in Care Compare data dated October 1, 2026. The home, at 1137 Sam Rittenburg Blvd in Charleston (Charleston County), is certified for Medicare and Medicaid with 125 beds and licensed by the S.C. Department of Public Health under license NCF-1096.
How does CMS rate Ashley River Healthcare in Charleston, South Carolina?
Ashley River Healthcare holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars. Its component ratings are 4 for health inspections, 1 for staffing and 4 for quality measures, each on a five-star scale.
| CMS or DPH measure | Value |
|---|---|
| CMS overall | 3 of 5 |
| CMS health inspections | 4 of 5 |
| CMS staffing | 1 of 5 |
| CMS quality measures | 4 of 5 |
| Certified beds and average daily census | 125 beds, 100.6 residents |
| Provider name used by CMS | Ashley River Healthcare |
| Ownership (CMS) | For profit - Limited Liability company |
| Chain affiliation (CMS) | The Ensign Group, 347 homes nationwide |
| Medicare/Medicaid participation since | January 5, 1999 |
| DPH nursing home license | NCF-1096, 125 licensed beds, Licensed through 09/30/2027 |
| DPH Alzheimer's flags | No |
About 101 residents live here on a typical day, filling roughly 80% of certified beds, lower than the 90% typical of certified homes in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
What did Ashley River Healthcare's latest health survey find?
For Ashley River Healthcare, CMS lists March 18, 2026 as the latest standard inspection, with 2 deficiencies recorded in the cycle (2 on the standard survey, 0 from complaints).
In the cycle before that (survey of April 10, 2025) CMS counted 1 deficiency, and infection-control inspections led to 0 citations. The middle value for certified homes in the tri-county area is 2 deficiencies, which puts Ashley River Healthcare at or under it.
Over CMS's three-year penalty window it lists 1 fine totaling $46,164 and 1 payment denial.
How much nursing time do residents get at Ashley River Healthcare?
CMS payroll data shows 3.54 nursing hours per resident each day at Ashley River Healthcare, close to the tri-county middle value of 3.61; registered nurses account for 0.52 of those hours, above the tri-county middle value of 0.48.
On weekends the figure is 3.07 nursing hours per resident per day. CMS reports no turnover figure.
Which nursing homes are closest to Ashley River Healthcare?
Its 125 certified beds make it smaller than the typical Charleston County nursing home (132 licensed beds). Riverside Health and Rehab in North Charleston is the nearest other certified home, roughly 1.7 miles off as the crow flies, with a CMS rating of 1 of 5.
| Facility | Miles away | Licensed beds | CMS overall rating | Last CMS health inspection | Deficiencies cited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Health and Rehab 2375 Baker Hospital Blvd, 29405 | 1.7 | 160 | 1 of 5 | April 21, 2026 | 4 |
| NHC Healthcare Charleston 2230 Ashley Crossing Dr, 29414 | 2.8 | 132 | 4 of 5 | April 3, 2026 | 5 |
| Kempton of Charleston 194 Spring St, 29403 | 3.3 | 23 | 5 of 5 | July 23, 2026 | 3 |
| Retreat at Wellmore of Daniel Island 580 Robert Daniel Dr, 29492 | 5.8 | 60 | 3 of 5 | April 17, 2026 | 6 |
| Bishop Gadsden-Gadsden Glen Center for Health and Rehab 8000 Noble Oak Way, 29412 | 6.2 | 100 | 5 of 5 | August 5, 2026 | 5 |
Where is Ashley River Healthcare, and what is on the same campus?
Ashley River Healthcare is in Charleston's West Ashley area; the closest general hospital on DPH's roster is Bon Secours St. Francis Xavier Hospital, roughly 3.2 miles off as the crow flies.
MUSC Medical Center is next, around 3.7 miles away. Map distances understate Lowcountry drives that cross the Ashley, Cooper or Stono rivers.
As a certified nursing home it must also meet the federal emergency preparedness rule (42 CFR 483.73), which requires a risk-based emergency plan, a communication plan, staff training and drills, and emergency power; ask how its plan treats hurricanes.
What belongs on a tour checklist for Ashley River Healthcare?
Let its CMS record set the questions: ask to read the full statement of deficiencies from March 18, 2026, even though the count (2 deficiencies) is modest.
- Ask what led to the $46,164 in CMS fines and how it was resolved.
- With occupancy near 80%, ask which halls have openings and why.
- CMS notes a none council; ask when it meets and whether family members may attend.
- If Medicaid will eventually pay, confirm that Ashley River Healthcare takes South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid for long stays and how it assigns Medicaid beds.
- Ask where residents went during the most recent hurricane evacuation order and how families were kept informed.
