Simulated heart failure appointments uncover shared consultation patterns among doctors across four countries

An international study led by sociologists Anja Weiß and Tao Liu of the University of Duisburg‑Essen found that doctors in Beijing, Ankara, Groningen and Würzburg treat heart‑failure patients in remarkably similar ways. The research shows that not only are the medical procedures alike, but the questions doctors ask, their gestures and the overall flow of consultations also match across the four cities.

The findings, recently published in Global Networks, highlight a shared clinical culture that may inform discussions about the recognition of foreign medical qualifications.