Medical Care in Puerto Rico


 
For any life-threatening emergency, dial 9-1-1. Operators respond in both English and Spanish, and the number works from any phone, just as it does on the mainland. Ambulance, police, and fire services all answer through 9-1-1.

  • Emergencies (ambulance, police, fire): 9-1-1
  • Poison control: 1-800-222-1222
  • Puerto Rico is on Atlantic Standard Time and does not observe daylight saving time.

Hospitals on the island accept most major United States health insurance plans, and both Medicare and Medicaid operate here. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If you take prescription medication, carry enough for your whole trip, since filling a mainland prescription locally can take time.

How to Choose the Right Level of Care

Three tiers of care cover almost every need:

  • Hospital emergency rooms handle serious injuries and illnesses. The largest are concentrated in the San Juan metro area, Bayamon, Caguas, Ponce, and Mayaguez.
  • Urgent care and walk-in clinics, including the island’s public Centros de Diagnostico y Tratamiento (Diagnosis and Treatment Centers, widely known as CDTs), treat minor injuries, fevers, and illnesses without an appointment. Almost every municipality has one.
  • Pharmacies (farmacias), including Walgreens and CVS branches across the island, fill prescriptions and sell basic health products. Many stay open late, and some larger branches operate around the clock.

The island’s main trauma center is the Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital at Centro Medico (the Puerto Rico Medical Center) in Rio Piedras, San Juan, the largest medical complex in the Caribbean. For children, San Jorge Children’s Hospital in Santurce, San Juan, is the leading pediatric facility.

Hospitals and Urgent Care by Region

The listings below follow Puerto Rico’s six commonly used travel regions. These regions are a tourism convention rather than an official boundary, but they make it easy to find care near where you are staying. Within each region, hospitals are grouped by municipality. Urgent care is available islandwide through the public CDT network, so for minor needs, look for the CDT in the town you are in or ask your hotel front desk.

San Juan Metro Region

The island’s densest concentration of hospitals, and home to its main trauma and pediatric centers.

  • San Juan: Puerto Rico Medical Center (Centro Medico), which includes the Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital, University District Hospital, and the Cardiovascular Center; Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital in Condado; Auxilio Mutuo Hospital; HIMA San Pablo Cupey; Hospital Pavia Santurce; Hospital Pavia Hato Rey; San Jorge Children’s Hospital; Hospital El Maestro; VA Caribbean Healthcare System
  • Bayamon: Bayamon Medical Center; HIMA San Pablo Bayamon; Doctors’ Center Hospital Bayamon; Bayamon Regional Hospital
  • Carolina: Doctors’ Center Hospital San Fernando de la Carolina; UPR Hospital Dr. Federico Trilla
  • Guaynabo: Hospital Metropolitano; Professional Hospital Guaynabo

North Region

  • Arecibo: Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Susoni; Hospital Pavia Arecibo
  • Manati: Manati Medical Center; Doctors’ Center Hospital Manati
  • Vega Baja: Wilma N. Vazquez Medical Center

Other north-coast towns, including Dorado, Barceloneta, Camuy, and Hatillo, are served by CDT clinics and by the hospitals in Arecibo and Manati.

East Region

  • Caguas: Hospital Menonita Caguas Dr. Eduardo Garrido Morales; Hospital Pavia Caguas
  • Humacao: Hospital Menonita Humacao; Ryder Memorial Hospital
  • Fajardo: Caribbean Medical Center; HIMA San Pablo Fajardo (Centro Medico del Noreste)
  • Vieques: Susana Centeno Family Health Center

Culebra and the smaller eastern towns rely on CDT clinics and health centers. Serious cases are transferred to Fajardo or the San Juan metro area, sometimes by air ambulance.

Central Mountains Region

  • Aibonito: Hospital Menonita Aibonito
  • Cayey: Hospital Menonita Cayey
  • Utuado: Hospital Metropolitano de la Montana

The mountain towns are served mainly by CDT clinics. The Menonita hospitals in Aibonito and Cayey anchor emergency care for the region.

South Region

  • Ponce: Hospital Damas; Hospital Episcopal San Lucas; Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Pila; Hospital San Cristobal
  • Guayama: Hospital Menonita Guayama

Ponce is the medical hub for the south coast. Towns such as Coamo, Salinas, Juana Diaz, and Santa Isabel are covered by CDT clinics and the Ponce hospitals.

West Region

  • Mayaguez: Mayaguez Medical Center; Bella Vista Hospital; Hospital Perea; Hospital San Antonio
  • Aguadilla: Hospital Buen Samaritano
  • San German: Hospital de la Concepcion; Hospital Metropolitano San German
  • Moca: Hospital San Carlos Borromeo
  • Yauco: Hospital Pavia Yauco
  • Lares: Hospital General Castaner

Mayaguez anchors emergency care for the west coast. Surf-town visitors in Rincon, Isabela, and Cabo Rojo use local CDT clinics for minor needs and the Mayaguez or Aguadilla hospitals for anything serious.

Quick Reference

Information current as of July 2026. Services, hours, and local ordinances can change, so call ahead or confirm locally when it matters.