TECH TRENDS effectively . The final stage in the value chain – selling or donating items near their expiration – poses a significant challenge for all retailers .
‘ non-urgent ’ pathway , with a treatment deadline set only after cancer confirmation through diagnostic tests .
Tesco ’ s data science team used OR methods to develop a multi-stage clearance-pricing optimisation system applied to thousands of products across all Tesco stores . This system helped the retailer cut food waste by 5 % while boosting revenue by up to 13 %.
Case study : streamlining cancer diagnosis and treatment in Wales
OR has proven to be a game-changer for healthcare organisations too . In Wales , OR interventions have led to significant improvements in cancer survival rates . Wales faced a significant challenge with cancer survival rates lagging other developed nations
A key issue was the different diagnosis and treatment pathways for cancer in Wales , leading to patient treatment bottlenecks and delays , sometimes proving fatal .
Patients with obvious cancer symptoms seen by their GP were placed on an ‘ urgent ’ pathway , starting treatment within 62 days . However , patients with ambiguous symptoms entered a
The Wales Cancer Network approached a team of OR specialists to address the issue . They embarked on a project to implement a Single Cancer Pathway ( SCP ) in Wales .
One key recommendation was the need to reduce the different pathways and determine the necessary resources to meet SCP waiting time targets . The OR team analysed over 6,000 cancer referrals across 10 cancer types and 30 diagnostic test categories . They identified the need for a 20 % increase in diagnostic resources and the establishment of ‘ rapid diagnostic hubs ’ to achieve the project ’ s goals .
The research findings were presented to the Welsh Government Minister for Health and Social Services , who subsequently released £ 3 million in funding to support the transition to the SCP . As a result , Wales became the first UK nation to introduce a single waiting time target for cancer patients . The SCP changed the diagnosis and treatment pathway for approximately 60 % of cancer patients who would have previously been on the ‘ nonurgent ’ pathway . www . intelligentcxo . com
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