Although the positive effect of leadership development
on the care-giving process was supported by all the participants
conversations, we could not demonstrate this
effect in a direct way in this study. However, our findings
help us to better understand why an improved working
environment could contribute to better patient outcomes(Aiken et al. 1998, Scott et al. 1999, Aiken 2002). The
research design used allowed to distil a few care-related
aspects that are positively affected by leadership development
and that are indirectly linked to the quality of
care. Optimizing patient-centred communication, continuity
of care and interdisciplinary collaboration can
contribute to enhanced quality of care.