Abstract. In the public sector in general in Denmark, there is an extensive use of satisfaction surveys. With the future quality reform (Kvalitetsreform) it is likely that this tendency will continue, and likely that the amount of these measurements will increase. The picture in the Danish hospital service dealing with satisfaction surveys in form of patient surveys is more or less identical, and also here different future quality initiatives, as for example “Den Danske Kvalitetsmodel (DDKM) and again the future quality reform, indicates a comprehensive amount of these measurements. However because there is getting produced a big amount of patient surveys, it is not necessary similar to the fact, that the quality of the patient care automatic then gets better. Measuring the patient satisfaction is not enough. Before these patient surveys have a chance to result in improved quality, they need someone to use them first. Therefore this master thesis will deal with the use of patient surveys in the hospital service. Based on the above- mentioned, this master thesis therefore asks the following question; How are patient surveys used in the Danish hospital service? To answer the research question, the thesis uses three different theoretical perspectives on evaluation use. These are instrumental use, conceptual use, and konstitutive virkninger. The function of these theoretical perspectives will therefore be as an analysis working tool, which can make a structure on the later analysis, and to ensure that the research question will be answered through the theoretical perspective. To answer the research question, this master thesis uses a case study design. Methodically, a number of informant interviews with nine head nurses have been conducted, to get information about the use of patient surveys at the different hospital wards chosen for this thesis. Furthermore is the analysis based on a documental study, where different documents on hospital level and ward level are collected and used to build up the case as documentation, and to validate the informant interviews. This master thesis concludes that the three different theoretical perspectives on evaluation use all can be recognised in the empirical chosen data for this thesis. The thesis shows, that instrumental use of the patient surveys is recognised with the result, that the hospital wards have initiated different initiatives. Furthermore have knowledge about the patient survey been spread at the hospital wards, and the informants have gained new knowledge on the basis of the survey. Finally it seems to be the case that the informants think that the patient survey is usable as a quality tool.