Prospective audits and feedback, together with preauthorization, are among the most effective antibiotic stewardship interventions available in hospitals. Under which element in the CDC Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs are these interventions classified?

• A. Leadership
• B. Action
• C. Accountability
• D. Education

Answer: (B)

These interventions are practical steps that put changes into practice to optimize antibiotic use. Prospectively auditing antibiotic prescribing and providing feedback, along with preauthorization before certain agents can be used, are direct actions taken to modify prescribing behavior and improve therapy decisions in real time. That makes them fit squarely in the Action element of the CDC Core Elements, which encompasses implementing evidence-based interventions to optimize antibiotic use. Other elements cover governance and capacity—leadership support, assigned accountability, pharmacologic expertise, ongoing tracking, and education—but the specific interventions described are the active measures designed to change prescribing patterns.