A new ride service from the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) is benefitting Dallas County residents.

The Dallas County Health Connector is a collaboration between HIRTA, the Dallas County Hospital, and the Dallas County Health Department as a way to help patients get to their health appointments. There is a kiosk located in the North Entrance of the Dallas County Hospital in Perry that will allow people to schedule a trip to the Dallas County Health Department or another location within the county. In addition to the kiosk, there are QR Codes spread throughout the hospital and HIRTA Executive Director Julia Castillo details the functions behind it.

“The QR Codes help people that either struggle with seeing, or are blind, or can’t figure their way around a hospital, and they can use the QR Codes to help them navigate where they need to go, so that they’re not wandering.”

Business Development Manager Brooke Ramsey reveals that Dallas County is piloting the health connector, with HIRTA now serving seven counties. The other counties that the organization caters to are Boone, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story, and Warren.