Effect of relation or effect of investment? Procedural justice and physician authority as factors shaping the well-being of patients.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the predictive power of two relational factors, procedural justice and legitimacy, against the well-being of patients receiving medical care.

Design/methodology/approach: The study sample consisted of 590 patients in treatment for somatic conditions in hospital outpatient clinics. The study was conducted in a correlational scheme. Subjects evaluated their relationship with their chosen doctor. In order to verify the hypotheses, SEM was carried out.

Findings: The relationship effect was noted. Procedural justice was a significant and positive predictor of psychological well-being, while distributive justice, i.e. time and money invested by the patient in their treatment, was not. The perceived legitimacy of the doctor was not a significant predictor of the psychological well-being of their patient. The relationship between the experience of procedural justice and psychological well-being was serially mediated by patients' perceived physician legitimacy and perceived life satisfaction.

Originality/value: Relational factors shape treatment outcomes operationalized by patients' subjective sense of well-being. Fair patient handling is a predictor of positive treatment outcomes.