August 6, 2023

Assessing Illness and Recovery With the Clean Plate Sign

Hospitalized patients, upon admission, often have a degree of anorexia which gradually resolves as their medical condition improves. Thus, a quick way to assess the overall improvement of hospitalized patients is to look at their plate after breakfast when rounding. Patients with a clean plate after eating their full meal often are close to or ready to be discharged home. Physical diagnosis includes observing the patient’s environment in addition to their physical body.

Heston, Thomas F. (2023). Assessing Illness and Recovery With the Clean Plate Sign. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8207106