In my case I beleive that any doctor who treated me with respect & courtesy and didn't dismiss me as a head case because I have a "difficult to diagnose illness", deserves the biggest milk chocolate chip cookie I can get my hands on.

But I know it's not always appropriate to give or receive. Administrators,regulators,and policy makers generally tend to be more cautious because they have to. Lower level staff are in the trenches and probably would take a small offering at face value.

Though I must say I had an auntie who used food and gifts as a way to manipulate doctors and nurses. She was a known "doctor shopper", and lived off of free samples of just about everything. She became a major pill addict well into her 70's as a result. Doctor's could not resist her,and nobody could imagine that this sweet little old lady was a major pill popper.

She used to show us the pills she "scored", with such pride like she was showing you her wedding photos.

Needless to say it was really weird!