Request-response characteristics and public satisfaction with using a health hotline

Health hotlines serve as platforms for patient-provider communication globally. However, few studies have explored public satisfaction with health hotline services. This study investigated the associations between the characteristics of health hotline platforms and public satisfaction with their services, aiming to provide insights for optimizing risk communication and improving residents' access to health information via health hotlines.

A retrospective observational study was conducted using calls and messages (CMs) received on a health hotline platform in Guangzhou, China, in 2023 and 2024. Generalized linear models were used to assess the associations between various request-response characteristics and public satisfaction with the hotline service.

A total of 9,280 satisfaction-related CMs were included in the analysis. All the request-response characteristics of the hotline were associated with public satisfaction. For example, responses at the department level were more satisfying than those at the hospital level, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.26 (95% CI 1.05-1.51). Regarding CM content, CMs related to patient safety had a lower satisfaction than non-clinical CMs, with an OR of 0.60 (95% CI 0.45-0.78). Additionally, as the response time increased, residents' satisfaction tended to decrease (P for trend <0.05).

The study indicated that request-response characteristics, such as response hierarchy and response time, significantly influence public satisfaction with health hotlines. Our findings provide novel evidence for optimizing the service quality of health hotline platforms to improve public satisfaction, which is valuable for enhancing patient-provider communication and improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare delivery.