Family doctors’ offices in Toronto appear to discriminate against new patients who are financially struggling.

That according to a study by researchers at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital, who posed as prospective patients looking for family physicians.

When they phoned nearly 400 offices two years ago, they said they were either bank employees who’d recently moved to the city or welfare recipients.

There is no financial incentive for doctors to select a patient in a higher income bracket since they’re paid the same through OHIP regardless one’s socio-economic status.

The study is published online in the Canadian Medical Association Journal .