In the realm of healthcare, where life and well-being hang in the balance, mathematics might not be the first tool that comes to mind. Yet, two Leiden researchers, Daniel Gomon and Marta Spreafico, are proving its invaluable role in improving patient care and hospital efficiency.

Gomon, a Ph.D. candidate, tackles the challenge of accurately gauging hospital performance. Traditional models often rely solely on survival rates after surgery, neglecting crucial aspects like patient quality of life and capturing deaths that fall just outside the one-year window. Gomon's solution? He refined a statistical tool called a CUSUM chart to continuously monitor all available data, allowing hospitals to detect declines in quality care in real-time. This proactive approach empowers medical institutions to intervene swiftly, ultimately benefiting patients.

On the other side of the spectrum, Spreafico, a postdoc, focuses on empowering doctors with personalized decision-making tools. Her work revolves around PERSARC, an app that assists in treating soft tissue sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. By feeding patient and tumor data into the app's mathematical model, doctors can gain valuable insights into the patient's survival probabilities under different treatment options, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. This allows for a more informed discussion between doctor and patient, enabling them to weigh the potential benefits of each treatment against its side effects and toxicity.

Both Gomon and Spreafico share a common passion: translating the power of mathematics into tangible improvements for the medical field. "It's incredibly rewarding to see my model used by hospitals to enhance their quality care," Gomon expresses. Spreafico echoes the sentiment, "PERSARC empowers doctors with the knowledge to make personalized treatment recommendations, ultimately putting the patient at the center of the decision-making process."

Their work serves as a testament to the transformative power of mathematics in healthcare. By bridging the gap between numbers and health, Gomon and Spreafico are paving the way for a future where data-driven insights guide every step of the medical journey, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.