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Reforms Central American country's health information system is among the world's best thanks to Fredericton's Accesstec

A decade ago Belize's health sector was in ruins. The Central American country was plagued by an ineffective paper-based health information system, scarce resources and dangerous infectious diseases.

But as part of sweeping health reforms, a Fredericton software development firm nabbed a contract in 2004 to provide the country with an electronic health information system.

Accesstec Inc. created a computerized system to track patient backgrounds, treatment history and infectious diseases in the country, propelling Belize to the front and centre of the world health stage.

From rural health outposts in the middle of the rainforest to urban drop-in clinics, the software has been lauded for improving health-care delivery, controlling costs and creating local jobs across the country.

"Belize was looking at doing a complete reform of their national health system," said Tristan Rutter, CEO of Accesstec. "The key for us was to develop software that would provide better quality health care, lower costs and greater user accessibility."

With financial and technical assistance from the Inter American Development Bank and the Pan American Health Organization, the government of Belize contracted Accesstec to create an electronic system geared to the country's needs.

The firm's technology recently received a nod from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. According to a Vital Wave Consulting survey commissioned by the software giant's foundation, Belize has the most advanced nationwide health system in the world.

"Although Belize had a very rudimentary, paper-based health information system as recently as 2004, today it has perhaps the most comprehensive nationwide (health system) in the world," said the report released last month.

"The (Belize health information system) is already being touted as a success and may serve as a model for other developing countries," the report said. "The benefits of the system"