SINGAPORE - Hospitals and polyclinics continue to please, with nearly eight in 10 of patients giving the thumbs up to good service at healthcare institutions last year.

Some 79.1 per cent of patients said service was either good or excellent, up from 77 per cent in 2013.

The annual survey by the Ministry of Health (MOH) also found that 81 per cent received better service than they had expected, up from 79 per cent the previous year, with 82 per cent saying they were likely to recommend public healthcare institutes to others.

"Respondents cited quality of doctors, quality of nurses and waiting time as the three most important factors when giving their ratings," said MOH.

The survey of more than 11,000 people between September 2014 and January this year found patients were happy with the service attitude and found healthcare staff to be "knowledgeable and professional".

The ministry added: "Respondents were also happy with the transfer of their medical information from one service point to another, as well as the follow-up by staff after they were discharged."

The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) topped in the hospital category with 86 per cent of patients happy with service there, while Changi General Hospital (CGH) got the least votes with only 71 per cent satisfied with service there.

While the Institute of Mental Health continued to top the specialists centres, the 88 per cent of patient happy with its services was lower than the 91 per cent it garnered in 2013.

The National University Cancer Institute scored the lowest with 73 per cent satisfied compared to 81 per cent who were last year.

Polyclinics generally fared better last year with about 2 percentage point higher satisfaction level.

SingHealth polyclinics in the East overtook the National Healthcare Group (NHG) with a six point jump in patient satisfaction - from 78 per cent in 2013 to 84 per cent last year; while the NHG polyclinics slipped from 82 per cent satisfaction to 81 per cent.