GRID

Global Registration Identifier for Donors

The World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) is requiring an updated global standard for donor identification; WMDA collaborated with ICCBBA to develop and implement a Global Registration Identifier for Donors (GRID).

  • GRID Frequently Asked Questions for Network Partners / Centers
    Answers questions you may have about the inception of GRID, how NMDP / Be The Match is implementing GRID and what you need to do as a center / partner
  • GRID Readiness Checklist
    A guide for centers / partners to consider multiple inputs for being GRID-ready
    NOTE: this is not an all-inclusive list
  • GRID Traceability Guide
    A guide to show how to use a primary system / paperwork to support traceability
    NOTE: actual placement of GRID may change at system implementation
  • GRID presentation from Council 2018 
    Council presentation deck including details of processes for centers / partners to consider and screenshots of where you could see GRID in systems / labels / paperwork 

What is GRID?

The GRID standard is a 19-character identifier composed of three elements: 

  1. A 4-digit Issuing Organization Number (ION) – The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) / Be The Match® ION is 3553
  2. A 13-character Registration Donor Identifier (RDI) assigned by the issuing organization (REMOVE: ;and)
  3. A 2-digit checksum – a calculated number that ensures the preceding 17 digits are accurate and not mistyped

GRID numbers

    *other registries may have capitalized alpha characters in their GRID

    Current Reality

    Currently, donor IDs are issued in multiple, non-standard formats throughout the world. Some identifiers contain numeric character, some contain alpha characters and some contain punctuation symbols.

      There is no control on the assigned IDs, therefore the possibility of duplicate donor IDs exists. If two donors are inadvertently assigned the same ID, the result could be infusing the wrong donor product into the waiting recipient.

      GRID will have long term benefits by standardizing the donor ID format and ensuring donor IDs are unique around the world. This change is an important quality control measure to prevent errors and improve global communication and processes.

      Assignment of GRIDs 

      NMDP / Be The Match has assigned a GRID to all donors on the Be The Match Registry. All new registry members are also being assigned a GRID. At this time, there is no change to how you do your work or identify donors in communications or on forms.

      REMOVE: Over the next year, additional work will be done to share the assigned GRIDs with other systems. By April 2019 we will begin using GRID as the primary donor identifier while maintaining the DID for traceability. 

      We will follow and promote the GRID Standard as published by ICCBBA and additional implementation details as provided by WMDA. See this ICCBBA webpage for details.

      Preparing your center for GRID

      All NMDP / Be The Match partners need to be ready for GRID. If you use only NMDP systems and forms, you will be GRID-ready.

      If you use systems, processes, and forms that integrate with the NMDP, you will need to conduct an assessment of your center. In an attempt to make this as easy and comprehensive as possible for you, we have created a GRID Readiness Checklist. This checklist is not intended to be all-inclusive and can serve as a guide to ensure you have considered as many impacts as possible.

      In addition to the Checklist, there is a GRID Traceability Guide to help you see where you may find both GRID and DID in your primary systems or on the primary documents you use (final placement may change prior to implementation). 

      Questions?

      Please check our GRID FAQ document above. You can use Ctrl+F to search for a keyword in the document.

      If you still have questions, please reach out to us at GRID@nmdp.org.