Ask the rheumatologist online: a qualitative analysis of a web-based service

The objective of this study was to analyze the use of an Ask-the-Rheumatologist website service. All questions submitted were analyzed for gender, geographic location, topic area, disease, appropriateness, personal experience, and whether the answer is found elsewhere on the hosting website. The number of total visits and their geographic location was determined. The web service was visited 7985 times. Two hundred twenty-seven questions were submitted, with a majority related to personal experience and inflammatory rheumatic disease. One hundred six questions did not have answers available elsewhere on the website. Seventy questions were deemed inappropriate. Ask-the-Rheumatologist was visited frequently, demonstrating an innovative method of knowledge-transfer between health professionals, patients, and the general public.