Impact of an integrated stewardship intervention at a secondary care hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates: findings from September 2018-March 2019

This study demonstrates that the incorporation of prospective audit and feedback intervention into the newly implemented antimicrobial stewardship program in the hospital enhanced the selection of surgical prophylactic antibiotics and supported the reduction in surgical site infection rates. However, challenges persist, particularly in maintaining adherence to the recommended timing and duration of prophylaxis, which limited overall compliance and led to higher antimicrobial costs. These findings emphasize the importance of continuous cycles of antibiotic stewardship audit-feedback interventions to standardize prescribing practices and enhance surgical prophylaxis outcomes in the UAE healthcare setting.