Donating money to patients

NY Times’ Abigail Zuger on giving money to patients:

I still indulge in fantasies of saving my needy patient with a solid hunk of cash, an anonymous check “” enough to buy her food and transportation; expert, consistent medical care; a few treats; and a little something in the bank.

It is an idiotic fantasy. But perhaps no more idiotic than for me to write out checks this month that will cover an infinitesimal fraction of some giant charity’s overhead. No more idiotic than for me to labor over Latin incantations on little scraps of paper in the illusion that they alone will make a difference in my patient’s health and life.