Louisiana Via Research Day Book 2026

Clinical Research

Clinical Research

111 CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS READMITTED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF INDEX SEPSIS ADMISSION TO ST. FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER: A QUALITY STUDY

Taylor Hardin MA, OMS-II; Stephanie N. Aldret, DO, FAOASM; Randy L. Aldret, EdD, ATC, CSCS VCOM-Louisiana 112 COLLEGIATE WATER SKI ATHLETES COMMON MEDICAL ISSUES AND ACCESS TO SPORTS MEDICINE SERVICES: A PILOT STUDY

Dipesh Upreti, MD; Hamama Javaid, MD; Niku Thapa, MD; Ayesha Sadiq, MD; Raman Saharan, MD; Navin Ramlal, MD Department of Internal Medicine, St Francis Medical Center, Monroe, Louisiana

Introduction: 30-day readmission rates following sepsis remain a challenge. In our institution, sepsis readmission rate is 6.92%, above both local and national averages. This Quality Improvement (QI) aims to identify key characteristics of patients readmitted within 30 days of index sepsis admission and to explore possible interventions. Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis using EPIC chart review, examining 123 cases from a randomly selected sample of 136 patients who were readmitted to both medical/surgical units and intensive care units within 30 days of sepsis hospitalization between January 2023 and February 2024. Patient demographics, comorbidities, hospitalization history, and discharge details were assessed. Results: Readmission was more frequent among patients aged 60 and above, with a slight male predominance (52.85%). The majority were Caucasian (69.11%) and the common insurer was Medicare (51.22%). 82.11% had at least one prior hospitalization in the year preceding their index admission. Anemia at discharge (87.80%), diabetes mellitus (33.33%), and COPD

(27.64%). were the most common comorbidities. Notably, 79.11% of readmitted patients were non-ICU stays and the majority were discharged home (38.21%) or with home health (22.76%). Mortality among readmitted patients was 6.5%. Discussion: Our 30-day readmission rate following sepsis is currently above the national target. Therefore, we conducted a quality improvement project utilizing retrospective chart review to elucidate the key characteristics of these patients. High readmission rates are associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality, costing US $20 billion. Prior to this study, our hypothesis was that readmission rates would be higher for nursing facility discharges and ICU discharges; however, our data dispute this. Conclusion: Optimizing the hospital discharge process is essential for improving outcomes among sepsis patients. Key recommendations include implementing a structured sepsis related questionnaire during post-discharge phone call within 72 hours, scheduling a timely clinic follow-up within one week, and ensuring robust access to antibiotics and adherence with

discharge medications. To further strengthen transitional care, a multifaceted strategy is advised, incorporating automated patient portal reminders, home health services, remote patient monitoring, social needs screening with community-based referrals, and specialized transitional care clinics. Collectively, these initiatives represent a comprehensive approach to reducing readmissions and enhancing the quality of post-discharge care and may serve as a model to inform best practices in hospital medicine.

Background: Competitive collegiate water skiing involves high-velocity maneuvers and repetitive loading that may predispose athletes to acute and recurrent musculoskeletal injuries. Despite these risks, medical coverage for water skiing teams is inconsistent, and the need for dedicated athletic training support has not been well characterized. This study aimed to describe injury patterns across water ski disciplines and assess access to athletic trainer (AT) coverage among collegiate water skiers. Objective: To characterize injury patterns by anatomical region and event type (slalom, trick, jump, other) in collegiate water skiers and to assess the availability and consistency of athletic trainer coverage within this sport. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 49 competitive collegiate water skiers. Participant demographics included age, sex, anthropometrics, limb dominance, front foot, and university affiliation. Injury history was self-reported by anatomical region, laterality, frequency, and associated event (slalom, trick, or jump, other). Participants also reported availability and consistency of athletic trainer

coverage during practices and competitions. Descriptive statistics and frequency analyses were performed. Results: Participants had a mean age of 20.6 ± 1.5 years and included both male (n = 27) and female (n = 22) athletes representing multiple collegiate programs. The majority of participants reported no dedicated athletic trainer assigned to their team. Among those with reported AT access, coverage was inconsistent, with trainers attending fewer than 50% of practices, being shared across multiple sports, and not traveling with teams. Injury prevalence was highest in the lower extremity, particularly the knee and ankle, with frequent recurrence. Jump skiing accounted for the highest proportion of knee, hip, rib, and abdominal injuries, while slalom skiing was most commonly associated with shoulder, neck, lumbar spine, and ankle injuries. Trick skiing demonstrated the highest association with concussions. Upper extremity injuries primarily involved the shoulder and wrist and frequently affected bilateral structures. Across multiple body regions, recurrent and bilateral injuries were common, suggesting cumulative loading effects rather than isolated traumatic events.

Conclusion: Collegiate water skiing demonstrates a substantial burden of recurrent, event-specific musculoskeletal injuries in the setting of limited and inconsistent athletic trainer coverage. These findings support the need for improved and dedicated medical coverage to enhance injury prevention, on-site management, and return-to-play decision-making for collegiate water skiers. As well as event-specific injury prevention strategies, targeted strength and conditioning programs, and further prospective research to reduce injury burden in this athletic population.

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2026 Research Recognition Day