Patients are expected to be offered choices in treatments by the healthcare professionals caring for them. But it can be hard during an appointment to make decisions about the treatment you want. Our Health Our Knowledge (OHOK) is a short web-based course, divided into nine sections that has been developed by patients and GPs to help people make healthcare choices. It’s available in English and Welsh.

Nine sections

OHOK has nine sections, and a before and after quiz so that you check how much you learn. It’s easy to move from one section to the next. Each section gives you a choice to move backwards or forwards or to explore the topic in more depth. The sections are:

1. Using healthcare
2. Evidence
3. Chances
4. Patterns of illness
5. Health screening
6. What to believe?
7. Conflicts and biases
8. Making health choices
9. Living better until the end

Using OHOK

You can work through the nine sections on your own or as a part of a small group working together, perhaps your Patient Participation Group (PPG) may find it useful to be involved. The information in the course provides a handy reference document. 

The course has a glossary of medical terms and a comprehensive list of useful resources in the conclusion. The useful resources list is probably unique in its relevance and extent.

Accessing OHOK

You’ll find OHOK online. It’s free to use and backed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Welsh Value in Health Centre/ Canolfan Gwerth mewn lechyd Cymru, Realistic Medicine and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

Why you should do this course

I have thought for some time that patients get what they are given, which may well be not what they want or need. The OHOK course will provide you with information that enables you to see the bigger picture rather than merely the face-to-face consultation, and will give you the self-confidence to be more assertive, while practising shared decision making in your appointments.

Brian Finney