Gastroesophageal reflux disease: the case for improving patient education in primary care.

Purpose: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects up to 25% of the western population, and the annual expenditure for managing GERD is estimated to be more than $14 billion. Most GERD patients do not consult a specialist, but rather rely on their primary care physician for symptom management. Research has shown that many patients--regardless of diagnosis--do not fully understand what their doctors tell them and remain uncertain as to what they are supposed to do to take care of themselves.