AIDET, No Point Policy, and the 10-5 Rule AIDET: The Five Fundamentals of Patient Communication • Acknowledge: Smile, greet & be positive. • Introduce: Tell others who you are &what your role is.
• Duration: Communicate the length of wait or walk times. • Explanation: Help others understand what you’re doing & why. • Thank you: Be sincere, be kind, and show appreciation.
Example: “Good morning, Ms. Smith. My name is Jim, I’m a volunteer and am happy to walk you to your appointment. The Radiology department is a three minute walk…[after walk] it was nice to talk with you, Ms. Smith. You are in great hands with our Radiology team. Is there anything else I can do for you today?...Thank you and have a nice day!”
No Point Policy At UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, we escort all patients and visitors to their desired destination if at all possible. We do not point and verbally provide directions unless this is the only option. It is okay to hand off the patient or visitor to another volunteer or staff member to ensure they get to their desired destination.
10-5 Rule When you encounter anyone that is 10 feet from you, please smile. When you encounter anyone 5 feet from you, please verbally engage with them by saying, “Good Morning!” or “Hello” or something appropriate for the moment.
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