Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41219772›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Exploring strengths, challenges, and experiences of using a national call center during the Covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

Maryam Eslami Jahromi, Haleh Ayatollahi, Ali Ebrazeh

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Maryam Eslami JahromiDepartment of Health Information Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Haleh AyatollahiHealth Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, No. 4, Rashid Yasemi St, Vali-Asr St, Tehran, 1996713883, Iran. ayatollahi.h@iums.ac.ir.
Ali EbrazehDepartment of Public Health, School of Public Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.

Funding

Iran University of Medical Sciences IUMS/SHMIS_1401-2-37-23743
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInvestigating experiences of staff and callers of call centers/hotlines during the Covid-19 pandemic is essential to identify perceived strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improving service delivery. This study aimed to explore experiences and perspectives of staff and callers of the 4030 call center during the Covid-19 pandemic.

methodsThis was a qualitative study in which data were collected via conducting semi-structured interviews with the call center's staff (n = 5), consultants (n = 24), and callers (n = 35). The data were analyzed using the framework analysis approach.

resultThe results included four main themes emerged from interviewing the staff and consultants of the call center: the rationale behind establishing the 4030 call center, its operational processes, strengths, and challenges. Interviews with the callers included three key main themes: reasons for contacting the call center, its strengths, and challenges.

conclusionDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, the 4030 call Center played an important role in reducing the burden of in-person visits to healthcare centers as well as providing psychological support to the public. Despite advantages such as preventing disease spread and alleviating public concerns, challenges including the large number of calls, long waiting times, and limitations of telephone counseling were reported. Therefore, healthcare policymakers need to pay more attention to the strengths and challenges of the call centers during health crises to improve service delivery and use past experiences for future planning.

Indexed as

COVID-19HotlinesFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMalePandemicsQualitative ResearchSARS-CoV-2Call centersCovid-19Hotlines

Identifiers

PMID41219772
PMCPMC12606849

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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