Ask Share Know
Making decisions about health is important but sometimes health information can be hard to understand, so making decisions can be difficult. Ask Share Know will help consumers learn about tests, treatment or care.
Ask Share Know is a methodology that will help consumers make shared decisions with their health professionals. The Ask Share Know methodology helps consumers:
- Ask questions to help get information they need (Ask)
- Share what matters to help make decisions for them (Share)
- Know their options to help make a decision that is right for them. (Know)
Ask Share Know gives consumers the words to use when speaking to a health professional and will help consumers learn more about tests, treatment and care options. This knowledge will help consumers make a decision that is right for them.
2025Other resourceUse this summary sheet during your appointment to help you Ask, Share, Know.
About Ask Share Know
The Ask Share Know questions came from the Patient First Program (West Australian Advocacy Group) and the Smart Health Choices book. Dr Heather Shepherd and Dr Marguerite Tracy conducted a research study using these questions. Their research looked at whether General Practitioners gave better information about treatment options when patients asked the Ask Share Know questions. For more information on this research, visit https://askshareknow.org.au/about/our-research/
Ask
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/ask/
Asking questions helps consumers get the information they need.
Ask these questions:
| What are my options? | This question asks the health professional to list all the options. This helps consumers know how many options they have. There are at least two options, one is to ‘wait and watch’. |
|---|---|
| What are the possible benefits and harms of these options? | This question asks about the benefits and harms of each option. A benefit may be getting better quicker. A harm may be a side effect such as diarrhoea, nausea or being sick (vomiting). |
| How likely are each of those benefits and harms to happen to me? | This question helps consumers know the chance of getting the benefits or harms of the options? The answer will take into account medical history and risk factors (such as obesity or smoking). |
Common health decisions consumers make are, whether to:
- Have a test
- Have a procedure or operation
- Take a medicine
- Make a lifestyle change
Share
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/share/
Sharing what matters helps make decisions that fit the consumer best.
What and how to share information
The Share of Ask Share Know is important. Making good health decisions combines two key things:
- The consumers knowledge about values, goals and preferences that matter to them
- The health professional’s expert health care knowledge.
It is important that this information is used to support shared decision making. Health professionals and consumers work together to understand each other and build trust. This will help when talking about tests, treatment or care options.
When consumers share what is important to them, this enables Health Professionals to give the right information. This means decisions will take into account things that matter including medical history, risk factors and lifestyle preferences.
Sharing with a health professional means consumers can learn and understand their treatment options. This will help consumers decide on an option that is best for them now and in the future.
Know
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/know/
Making decisions about tests, treatment and care can be hard. Consumers may need to think about short and long term outcomes. Information about options helps consumers know more and make decisions that are right for them.
The Ask Share Know questions help consumers get the information they need. Sometimes it is hard to understand new information in a stressful situation. Using the questions, helps the consumer be ready for the answer.
Ask
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/ask/
Asking questions helps consumers get the information they need.
Ask these questions:
| What are my options? | This question asks the health professional to list all the options. This helps consumers know how many options they have. There are at least two options, one is to ‘wait and watch’. |
|---|---|
| What are the possible benefits and harms of these options? | This question asks about the benefits and harms of each option. A benefit may be getting better quicker. A harm may be a side effect such as diarrhoea, nausea or being sick (vomiting). |
| How likely are each of those benefits and harms to happen to me? | This question helps consumers know the chance of getting the benefits or harms of the options? The answer will take into account medical history and risk factors (such as obesity or smoking). |
Common health decisions consumers make are, whether to:
- Have a test
- Have a procedure or operation
- Take a medicine
- Make a lifestyle change
Share
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/share/
Sharing what matters helps make decisions that fit the consumer best.
What and how to share information
The Share of Ask Share Know is important. Making good health decisions combines two key things:
- The consumers knowledge about values, goals and preferences that matter to them
- The health professional’s expert health care knowledge.
It is important that this information is used to support shared decision making. Health professionals and consumers work together to understand each other and build trust. This will help when talking about tests, treatment or care options.
When consumers share what is important to them, this enables Health Professionals to give the right information. This means decisions will take into account things that matter including medical history, risk factors and lifestyle preferences.
Sharing with a health professional means consumers can learn and understand their treatment options. This will help consumers decide on an option that is best for them now and in the future.
Know
Adapted from https://askshareknow.org.au/know/
Making decisions about tests, treatment and care can be hard. Consumers may need to think about short and long term outcomes. Information about options helps consumers know more and make decisions that are right for them.
The Ask Share Know questions help consumers get the information they need. Sometimes it is hard to understand new information in a stressful situation. Using the questions, helps the consumer be ready for the answer.
Strategies to help consumers recall and use health care information to make decisions
If possible, it can be helpful to have a support person at an appointment where a decision needs to be made. These handy tips can be helpful during a conversation with a health professional to make sure the right decision can be made based on accurate information:
- Use the Ask Share Know questions
- Ask to stop or pause a few times to check you know what the health professional is saying.
- If you are unclear, ask them to say it again in different way, or to use simpler words.
- Health professionals often use words most people do not understand. It is ok to say you do not know what these words mean.
- Ask to record the conversation you have with the doctor or nurse. People who do this find it useful to remember what you talked about or what you decide to do. Most smart phones are able to record.
- Take a pen and paper with you. You can write the answers yourself or ask the health professional to do that for you. Download and print the Ask Share Know summary sheet to help write your notes.