Use of a contact center telephone helpline in rheumatology outpatient management: a five-year experience analysis and patients' perception.

Objective: To analyze our five-year experience with a telephone helpline service for patients suffering from chronic rheumatic diseases and provide the patients' perspective derived from a dedicated survey.

Methods: A telephone service (contact center) was set up in the rheumatology unit at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, in September 2007. It is managed by operators from a medical service society who collect the patients'calls.