JEFFERSON CITY – The COVID-19 pandemic caused nursing homes to change policies overnight, with telehealth adopted widely in an effort to reduce stress on the health care system. Telehealth did so by keeping residents Telehealth did so by keeping residents safe and avoiding unnecessary transfers to already-overwhelmed hospitals, based of University of Missouri information. A new University of Missouri study found telehealth reduced stress for nursing home residents and increased access to care. Kimberly Powell, an assistant professor in the MU Sinclair School of Nursing, interviewed nursing home clinicians and administrators from a sample of 700 nursing homes across the country to better understand the benefits and challenges of widespread telehealth adoption. “Transporting a resident to the hospital can be a very traumatic and stressful experience,” Powell said. “Whether it’s a fall in the middle of the night or a sudden change in vit...