The SAM medication database

SAM (Source Authentique des Médicaments, the authentic source of medicines) is the official Belgian medication reference database. Resthome uses it as the foundation of its medication catalog: rather than entering a medication by hand, you search for it in SAM and import it, with its reliable data (CNK code, active ingredient, classification, leaflets).

Two entry points:

  • Browse the reference database — Care app → Configuration → SAM Database (read-only).

  • Search and import — the Search SAM wizard, in the MR/MRS app → Configuration → eHealth Configuration → Search SAM.

A feature of the eHealth integration

The Search SAM wizard is part of Resthome’s Belgian eHealth layer. It installs automatically as soon as the medical module and the eHealth module are present, and access is reserved for the eHealth manager. Browsing the database (Care → Configuration) remains accessible without that role.

What the SAM database provides

Every medication in the reference database carries authentic data, useful both for care and for traceability:

Data

What it is used for

CNK code

Belgian pharmacy code (7 digits) that identifies the package.

Active ingredient (INN)

The active substance, in French and Dutch.

ATC code

Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification (WHO), with its description.

BCFI class

Pharmacotherapeutic classification from the Belgian Centre for Pharmacotherapeutic Information.

Black Triangle

Flags a medication under additional monitoring (additional pharmacovigilance).

Form and route

Pharmaceutical form and route of administration, in French and Dutch.

SmPC and leaflet

Links to the Summary of Product Characteristics and the patient leaflet (FR and NL).

BCFI link

Direct link to the medication’s page on the BCFI website.

Prescription and manufacturer

Dispensing status (prescription required) and marketing authorization holder.

A reference copy, not an order

Resthome’s SAM database is a local copy loaded at installation. It helps you identify and document a medication; it manages neither stock nor prices. Those live on the catalog record, once the medication is imported.

Browsing the SAM database

From Care → Configuration → SAM Database, you browse the reference database in read-only mode. The list shows the CNK code, the name, the active ingredient, the ATC code, the form and the manufacturer.

Use the search bar and filters to narrow down:

  • search by name (FR/NL), CNK code, ATC code, active ingredient or manufacturer;

  • filters — Prescription Required, Black Triangle and With CNK;

  • groupings by ATC code, by form or by manufacturer.

A medication’s record details its identification, its classification, its pharmaceutical form, its active ingredient and the links to its official documents (SmPC and leaflet, FR and NL).

The Search SAM wizard

The Search SAM wizard finds a medication in SAM and adds it to your catalog in one step. Open it through MR/MRS → Configuration → eHealth Configuration → Search SAM.

Choose the search type:

  • By Name — by brand name or active ingredient (e.g. Dafalgan, Rilatine);

  • By CNK Code — by CNK code.

Enter your term in the search field then click Search. The search is accent-insensitive and handles multiple words (e.g. Amlodipine 5mg).

Local search first

The wizard first queries the local copy of SAM: the response is immediate, even without a connection. If that copy is empty, Resthome can switch to the live DICS v5 service — but that path requires a certified eHealth connection.

2. Choose from the results

Results are shown in a table. Each row shows the CNK code, the name, the active ingredient (INN), the strength, the form and — in optional columns — the manufacturer, the ATC code, the BCFI class and the SmPC / leaflet links.

The In Catalog column indicates whether the medication is already in your catalog. Those rows appear in blue: no need to recreate them.

Check the Select box at the start of the row for each medication to import.

3. Import to the catalog

Click Import Selected. Resthome creates one record in your catalog per checked medication, carrying over the SAM data:

SAM data

Catalog field

Name

Medication name

CNK

CNK code

INN (active ingredient)

Active ingredient

Strength

Dosage

Form

Form (converted to a Resthome category)

Manufacturer

Manufacturer

ATC

ATC code

SmPC / leaflet / BCFI link

Official documents tab of the record

A notification confirms the number of medications created (and updated, where applicable).

4. Update an existing medication

To refresh a record that is already present, run the search again (Search Again button) and re-import the row. Resthome matches by CNK code: if the medication already exists, it updates the record instead of creating a duplicate.

An import does not replace the prescription

Importing a medication adds it to the facility’s catalog. You still have to prescribe it to the resident afterwards, with its dosage and period. See Prescriptions and medications.

Key takeaways

  • SAM = the official Belgian medication reference database, embedded in Resthome as the foundation of the catalog.

  • Two entry points: browsing (Care → Configuration → SAM Database) and the Search SAM import wizard (MR/MRS → Configuration → eHealth Configuration).

  • The search accepts the name, the CNK code or the active ingredient, and works offline on the local copy.

  • Import Selected creates the records; a re-import updates medications already present (matching by CNK).

  • SAM provides ATC, BCFI class, Black Triangle, SmPC and leaflet (FR/NL) — reliable data, for reference.

Further reading