RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: This study focuses on the effectiveness of healthcare leadership in primary healthcare centers in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, examining the interplay between leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and their impact on leadership effectiveness. Emphasizing the critical role of primary healthcare as outlined by the World Health Organization, the research addresses the gap in understanding leadership dynamics within the Saudi healthcare context. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used, involving 89 managers and deputies from 48 primary healthcare centers in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia in 2023. The methodology included a comprehensive questionnaire assessing leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, and socio-demographic variables. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp), incorporating chi-square tests, t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation, and binary logistic regression for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The findings revealed a high level of leadership effectiveness (79.8%; 95% CI: 62.7±10.2) among the study participants. Emotional intelligence emerged as a significant factor in effective leadership, evidenced by a strong positive correlation (r=0.75; p=0.001) between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness. The study also observed a predominant preference for democratic leadership styles among participants, with no significant variance in leadership effectiveness across different styles. A notable area for improvement identified was self-awareness among healthcare leaders. CONCLUSION: The research concludes that effective healthcare leadership, significantly influenced by emotional intelligence, is essential for reaching high-quality primary healthcare. It advocates for the integration of emotional intelligence training, especially focusing on self-awareness, in leadership development programs for healthcare professionals.