Last update:
01-Feb-2012

OBJECTIVE This survey aimed to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and internal quality through the perceptions of clinical leadership in hospital care services in the context of the Greek Public Health System.

METHOD The sample consisted of 123 doctors-clinical department heads in 15 hospitals. The data were collected by the use of a questionnaire specifically designed for the study, which incorporated the "Quality of Service Questionnaire" to assess internal quality and the "Job Satisfaction Survey" to assess job satisfaction. The data were analyzed with the use of exploratory factor analysis and multiple linear regression, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.

RESULTS Exploratory factor analysis of the internal quality questionnaire variables revealed that the factors of its physical and interactive characteristics explain 75.94% of the total variance. Regarding job satisfaction variables, the methodology revealed one factor explaining 72.35% of the total variance. Multiple linear regression analysis using job satisfaction as a dependent variable revealed a positive relationship between the interactive and physical internal quality characteristics and job satisfaction of clinical department heads.

CONCLUSIONS The positive relationship between job satisfaction of clinical department heads and internal quality in their work environment is crucial to efforts directed at improving department functioning, given the association between job satisfaction and quality and efficiency, and the special role of clinical leadership. These findings provide researchers and health policy makers with a useful tool for planning and implementing policies to improve the quality of hospital care.

Key words: Clinical leadership, Hospital, Internal service quality, Job satisfaction.