Review for 10.1186/s12876-023-02712-8 (2023)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON SURGICAL OPTIONS FOR
PATIENTS UNDERGOING ANTIREFLUX SURGERY: A SINGLE-CENTER
QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED SURVEY
Version: 
0 
Date: 
24 Oct 2022
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting manuscript, since it focuses on background of the patient`s
information in order to learn about the possibility to receive surgical therapy for
GERD in China.
However I have a few important points of critcism:
1- In the introduction or at least in the method section, the authors should
provide more information how the referral pattern works in China, because that
is important to understand the paper: Do patients directly approach the hospital
for surgical therapy or do they have to go first to a general practitionare of
another physician to refer him or her to the department of surgery?
2-How is the indication established for surgical therapy 
? 
3-What is the routine diagnostic work-up to establish an indication ?
4- is this work up done by the surgeons ?
5-The manuscript contains a repetition of the tables, which should be corrected
6.If even in such a large Center for GERD, the cooperation between Department
of Surgery and other subspecialties does not work satisfactorily, could the
authors comment on less specialized hospitals.
7. in the conclusion the authors state, that it is important for hospitals and
physicians to provide correct medical information and conduct multi-platform
multimedia promotion. I would critically ask, whether it would be more
impartant to search for a consensus between the subspecialties to create common
guidelines how to inform the patients and how to establish a clear indication for
surgery in GERD, supported by 
all.
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