The interest in the health care system increased during the past few years significantly. Politics and society have to face changing structures. The duties, responsibilities and compensations of providers of services in the health care system are of special interest in these considerations. To successfully deal with these challenges, there is a need for precise analyses based on facts. The aim of this study is to analyse the concept of success of practising physicians and to identify critical factors of their success based on a theory driven model supported by the empirical data of our survey (FFB-Ärzteumfrage) for Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen).