Aim: Based on the concept of value creation the aim was to analyse a sample of patients’ unstructured responses, and to show what the patients perceived to be healthcare values.

Method: Using content analysis the patients’ responses to three questions underwent a categorization involving the identification, coding, and emerging of themes.

Results: This is good: fellow feeling, receptivity, proficiency, efforts matched to requirements, popular food, informed patients. The theme was professional care. This I would like to change: offer more conventional forms of accommodation, better quality food, better cleaning, more time to their patients, better information, and improved accessibility. The theme was patients want good service when in hospital. Other complaints were linked to care, resulting in; improve personal integrity, friendlier demeanour, more focusing on the individual. The theme was patients expect to be acknowledged and respected by nursing staff. However, the answers did not convey anything essentially new.

Conclusion: The patients expressed different values. It is debatable to use service management concepts in healthcare in a simplistic way. Practice implications: Patients’ unstructured answers are of interest in improving the attitudes of the co-workers.