The Department of Health has released final results of the sixth national patient choice survey.
The survey was commissioned to assess the implementation of choice for patients assessed at GP surgeries going on to be treated in hospital.
Patients are now offered a choice of hospital for their first outpatient appointment.
The March survey found that patients are increasingly aware of the choice system and numbers offered the Choice booklet continue to rise.
Some 37% of patients were aware of their ability to choose a hospital before they visited their GP, up from 6% in January.
Another 66% of patients recall their GP offering them choice of hospital compared with 64% in January.
Of those patients offered choice, 78% were satisfied with the process and 5% were dissatisfied, similar to the January survey.
The survey was provided to provide a national overview of choice and summary results at primary care trust level.
