Business Plan

Executive Summary – Reduce time to transplant

Our patients must be able to rely on searches and registry-to-registry communication being executed promptly and correctly at all times. This means a streamlined process to exchange information related to the search, verification, and work-up process for suitable unrelated grafts of hematopoietic stem cells, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

The global community of registries is moving to a centralised solution (Match-Connect) to facilitate the communication between registries and has decided not to invest anymore in the EMDIS connections and to retire EMDIS at the end of 2027.

The centralised solution currently in development aims to lower the barrier for registries to connect with their peers. The WMDA has made significant investments to offer the Match-Connect solution, which provides the following benefits for its members:

• Data Exchange: Designed to offer a reliable platform for data exchange.
• Trust & Data Security: Aligned with broader data strategy and privacy regulations, such as GDPR.
• Business Continuity: High service level with low risk of outages, thanks to cloud redundancy.
• Current Data on Donor and Cord Blood Records: Utilises donor/patient data to better serve transplant centers.
• Interoperability: Promotes efficient innovation and reduces operational costs.
• Support: Abundant technical documentation and assistance from WMDA to facilitate implementation.

The membership community aims to add functionalities such as cord blood requests, Health Availability Check, and Work-Up. The Match-Connect solution will automate manual tasks like data entry, reduce the workload for search coordinators, and shorten the timeline for patients to receive transplants.

Registries can customise the solution to fit local preferences, optimising the adoption process and enhancing patient care.

Definitions

Search & Match Service:

• the global database of ~42 million donors and cord blood products, presenting data from 136 sources (57 countries)
• 6% of the records are updated daily, 89% of the records are updated weekly
• operating two matching algorithms (Hap-E provided by DKMS & Atlas provided by Anthony Nolan/NMDP) that operate in different data centres and have been validated by WMDA Bio-Informatics & Innovation Committee

Match-Connect

• series of comprehensive connectors (APIs) to facilitate the registry operations in the area of search and request
• a connector (called Search API) to implement Search & Match Service in your local registry environment so that search coordinators can prepare transplant centre specific reports
• a connector (called Connect API) to communicate with international registries to request blood samples, extended HLA typing etc
• the definitions are bases on the EMDIS semantics

EMDIS (European Marrow Donor Information System)

• data definitions and principles to set up peer-to-peer communication that facilitates searches and requests between registries
• peer-to-peer email-based network

Why Match-Connect?

Search coordinators have different ways of connecting with international registries. This can be through EMDIS or through a manual, administrative process (fax, email). EMDIS is based on older technology and is not compliant with modern security and privacy standards. However, the non-EMDIS process requires several manual steps, which is labour intensive and prone to error.

While EMDIS is operating relatively smoothly, the global community of registries decided to develop a centralised solution (Match-Connect) that aims:

• to offer better performance (search results will be available in seconds through a simplified matching process)
• to have security and reliability by design (Microsoft Azure Cloud Infrastructure)
• to be compliant with data protection laws such as the European General Data Protection Regulation
• to reduce long-term costs and to require less maintenance (maintaining one connection where approved changes are applied centrally by WMDA instead of multiple connections that need maintenance from all members)
• to offer a better and easier experience for search coordinators to conduct searches and reduce the risk of errors
• to reduce the barrier for non-EMDIS registries to join the global communication platform
• to make the entire process more streamlined and efficient by offering additional services such as Health Availability Check and Work-Up.

What is Match-Connect?

Match Connect is series of connectors (APIs) that will allow comparable search, match and communication capabilities currently available through EMDIS 3. 

• Patient API
• Upload new patient (PAT_UPD equivalent)
• Retrieve the list of your patients
• Update an existing patient
• Change patient status (PAT_STAT equivalent)
• Retrieve individual patient data
• Search API
• Start a search
• Repeat a search
• Retrieve search results for your patient (DONOR_CB equivalent)
• Retrieve the patient's search summary (MATCH_SUM equivalent)
• Retrieve full donor/CBU(/ADCU) report
• Connect API
• Request donor extended HLA typing, receive results (TYP_REQ & TYP_RES equivalent)
• Request donor VT sample (SMP_REQ, SMP_RES, SMP_INFO, SMP_ARR equivalent)
• Request donor IDM testing, receive results (IDM_REQ & IDM_RES equivalent)
• Request reservation of a donor (RSV_REQ & RSV_RES equivalent)
• Request CBU full report (CBR_REQ equivalent)
• Sending attachments (not available in EMDIS 3)
• Administrative messages i.e.
• message denial (MSG_DEN equivalent),
• warning (WARNING equivalent),
• request cancellation (REQ_CAN equivalent),
• reminders (RES_REM equivalent),
• text messages (TXT_MSG equivalent),
• service cannot be performed (NO_RES equivalent),
• message acknowledgment (MSG_ACK equivalent)

Logical implementation: the APIs need to be implemented chronologically starting with the Patient API.  The Search API can't be used without the Patient API and the Connect API cannot be used without the Search API. Customised implementation pathways for registries that receive the download and for cord blood banks have been developed. 

Physical implementation: the implementation of the APIs do not guidelines for the end-users graphical user interface (GUI) because the APIs will need to be implemented at the back-end of the registry internal system.

There are therefore two options: 

• Deploy software that has a built-in support for the Match-Connect APIs. For more information on this, contact, for example, Steiner Ltd, Czech Republic. 
• Integrate APIs into your internal system. That will require the following technical skill sets:

• Basic knowledge of REST APIs.
• Ability to develop a connection between your internal system and Match-Connect APIs. 
• Optional: Postman or other API development environment.
• Only JSON is accepted for input and responses.

Requirements to join Match-Connect

Data security is paramount in Match-Connect to safeguard sensitive patient and donor information. The following requirements must be met:

 Security

• Having signed Data Transmission and Use Agreement.
• Having completed the Match-Connect Information Security Compliance Programme.
• Having signed the Match-Connect Service Level Agreement.
• Having requested the API authentication keys.

Operational

• Being a community member of WMDA Sector Listing Member in good standing.
• Ensure upload of its donor/cord blood inventory at minimum daily or whenever changes are made to a record.
• Being responsible for the local implementation, the technology used, its system security, maintenance and development. Ensure adequate level of data security and data protection by using current technology, regular updates and: 
  • Compliance with the Match-Connect Semantics and swagger documentation when interacting with the central system. 
  • Functionality of new API implementations using a comprehensive testing/staging environment and adequate test executions. 
  • Timely and adequate processing of incoming messages to ensure smooth follow-up of requests and results.
  • Responsible for any implementation of business logic, monitoring systems and checks exceeding the central Match-Connect message validation. 
  • Availability of development resources to fix bugs impacting the correct exchange of messages with Match-Connect according to criticality.  
  • Availability of development resources to implement announced major changes to Match-Connect within the defined transition timeline.

Transition/Implementation

EMDIS registries

The transition process requires handling open requests and patient cases carefully to avoid duplication, with the introduction of an embedded patient block for continuity. For former EMDIS users, legacy requests must be completed within EMDIS, while new ones transition to Match-Connect, requiring synchronisation of address data and registry systems to manage parallel communication channels during the transition phase.

non-EMDIS registries

To connect your local registry system to Match-Connect, ensure your registry system is compatible with the technical standards described in the Match-Connect Semantics. This includes data formats, communication protocols, and security measures. Your system should have the necessary software and hardware capabilities to handle the integration, which may involve upgrades or new installations.

• Ensure that donor and patient data in your registry is accurate, complete, and formatted according to WMDA schemas, involving HLA typing results, personal information, and medical histories.
• Map your data fields to Match-Connect data fields to ensure smooth data exchange.
• Set up a secure API communication channel with encryption to protect data during transmission, and implement authentication protocols (provided by WMDA Support) to verify the identities of systems and users accessing the network.
• Develop the necessary interfaces and/or middleware to facilitate data exchange between your registry system and WMDA central service, and conduct extensive testing to ensure that data is being correctly transmitted and received, including functional, performance, and security testing.
• Ensure that your system complies with relevant regulatory requirements and data protection laws.
• Train your technical and administrative staff on how to use and manage the integrated system, and establish a support plan for troubleshooting and maintaining the system post-integration.

Registries with the global file download, Donor Centres, Donor-only registries, cord blood banks

Registries with the global file download, donor centres, donor-only registries and cord blood banks have access to a comprehensive range of services including the WMDA Patient API, WMDA Search API, and WMDA Connect API. You benefit from a reduced implementation effort since you only need to implement a limited number of endpoints related to patient services, allowing you to focus on donor and cord blood unit management.

Transplant Centres, Labs (only performing searches, no requests)

Transplant centres with access to WMDA Search & Match Service can use the WMDA Patient API and the WMDA Search API. All donor/CBU request functionality available in the Connect API is only accessible through your affiliated national registry.

Transition/Implementation Timeline

The transition and implementation plan outlines a timeline for implementing Match-Connect and migrating away from EMDIS. Spanning from mid-2024 to early 2028, the plan involves phased API implementation and EMDIS connection transitions. Key milestones include completing Match-Connect implementation, achieving critical mass in adoption of Match-Connect, and ultimately retiring EMDIS. Early adopters aim to complete API implementation by late 2025, while others extend into mid-2026. The ultimate goal is to fully transition all organisations to Match-Connect and retire EMDIS by the end of 2027, ensuring a seamless and efficient changeover.

Initial feedback from Early Adopters