Areas
Online Doctor in Puerto Rico's Central Mountains: Utuado, Jayuya, Adjuntas and Lares
If you need an online doctor in Puerto Rico's central mountains, Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, sees patients of all ages by video in Utuado, Jayuya, Adjuntas and Lares, without the drive down the mountain. For an emergency, Lares has two ERs their operators say are open around the clock, and Utuado has a hospital. The only Walgreens in the four towns is in Utuado.
Is it an emergency? Call 911.
Video only
We are a telehealth-only service: we have no office or clinic in this area or anywhere else in Puerto Rico. If you need to be seen in person, this guide shows where to go.
Is this an emergency?
This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Chest pain, shortness of breath or stroke signs
- Dengue with severe belly pain, nonstop vomiting, bleeding or unusual drowsiness
- A fall or a road accident with a blow to the head
- A baby under 3 months with a fever
Help lines
Who handles emergencies in the mountains
In these four towns, in-person care revolves around two institutions. Hospital General Castañer, in Lares's Bartolo barrio, runs an ER its site describes as "open 24 hours, 365 days", plus clinics (policlínicas) in Adjuntas and Jayuya that are open Monday to Friday only. Utuado has Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, which CMS lists with emergency services, though we found no published hours.
Medicines are a shorter list: there is one Walgreens across the four towns, in Utuado, and the nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter is in Ponce, on the other side of the mountains. For a cold, a urinary infection, blood pressure or a refill, a video visit saves you the mountain-road drive.
Before you leave home
Why a video visit
For anything that isn’t an emergency, compare what each option takes.
| Comparison | Video visit | Emergency room | CDT or doctor’s office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there | From home: join from your phone, tablet or computer. | Drive and find parking. | Drive and find parking. |
| Waiting room | Skip the waiting room: join from wherever you are in Puerto Rico. | Yes, a waiting room. | Yes, a waiting room. |
| Hours and time | We do not publish a wait time. Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. | In Puerto Rico, a median of 4 h 52 min from arrival to departure for patients sent home (US: 2 h 42 min; Oct 2024–Sep 2025).1,2 | An in-person visit takes about 2 hours on average, including travel.3 |
| Price | US$79 visit · US$49 follow-up · US$35 forms. You see it before you pay; no insurance needed. | Depends on your insurance and on what is done. | Depends on your insurance and on what is done. |
| Language | Spanish or English, with the same doctor. | Depends on the place. | Depends on the place. |
| Prescriptions | If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. | Yes, if needed. | Yes, if needed. |
| When to go in person | If the doctor needs to examine you in person or run a test, she tells you and guides you. | In an emergency: chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness on one side or bleeding that won’t stop. Call 911. | If you need stitches, an X-ray or a test on the spot. |
For problems that are not emergencies. In an emergency, call 911.
Table sources
- 1. CMS Care Compare, “Timely and Effective Care – State”, measure OP-18b: median time in the emergency department, arrival to departure, for patients sent home (opens in a new tab), data for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- 2. CMS Care Compare, “Timely and Effective Care – National”, measure OP-18b (US figure) (opens in a new tab), data for Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- 3. Ray KN et al., “Opportunity costs of ambulatory medical care in the United States,” Am J Manag Care 2015;21(8):567-74 (US data, 2003–2010) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
We found no published source for what a patient pays at an ER or a CDT in Puerto Rico, so we give no figure.
Emergency rooms for the central mountains
In an emergency call 911. None of these places is affiliated with us. Distances are straight lines, not drive times; in the mountains the road is much longer.
Hospital General Castañer, Route 135, Bo. Bartolo, Castañer sector, Lares, PR 00631. Phone 787-829-5010. ER "open 24 hours, 365 days" per its site. About 7 miles from Adjuntas, 9 from downtown Lares and 10 from Utuado.
CISS Lares (Centro de Salud de Lares), 787-897-2727. Its site says it has an "emergency room open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Lares". It is a community health center.
Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, Calle Isaac González at Ledesma, Bda. Nueva, Utuado, PR 00641. Phone 787-933-1100. Emergency services per CMS; hours unconfirmed. It is not on Metro Pavia's ER lists. Call first if it is not serious.
Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Pila, 2435 Blvd Luis A. Ferré, Ponce. Phone 787-848-5600. On Metro Pavia's 24-hour adult and pediatric ER lists. About 15 miles from Jayuya. See our Ponce guide.
Hospital Pavía Arecibo, Route 129 Km 1.0, Arecibo. Phone 787-650-7272. On Metro Pavia's adult and pediatric lists. About 13 miles from Utuado.
Why see the doctor by video from the mountains?
In the mountains, the road to an ER or a clinic is long. A video visit happens from home: no mountain drive, no parking, and you skip the waiting room. Prices shown before you pay: doctor visit US$79, follow-up or refill US$49, forms US$35. For problems that are not emergencies. In an emergency, call 911.
Online doctor in Utuado
Utuado has 27,155 residents (Census, 2024), about 1,100 fewer than in 2020, and 27.1% are 65 or older: the highest share of the four towns. It is the only one with its own hospital and a Walgreens.
- ER in town: Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, Bda. Nueva, 787-933-1100, per CMS (no published hours).
- Outside town: Hospital General Castañer, 787-829-5010, about 10 miles in a straight line; Pavía Arecibo, 787-650-7272, about 13.
- Health centers: CSM Utuado, 5 Calle Antonio R. Barceló, 787-680-2019, 53.5 hours a week per HRSA; the CSM specialty clinic at 7A Calle Dr. Cueto, 45 hours; and the CSM pharmacy at 78 Calle Dr. Cueto, 42.5 hours. All run by Corporación de Servicios Médicos.
- Walgreens, 940 Carr 123, 787-894-0574. Pharmacy counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; closed 1:30–2 p.m. Store: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens, 2979 Ave Emilio Fagot, Ponce, 787-841-7400, about 19 miles.
Online doctor in Jayuya
Jayuya, with 14,440 residents (Census, 2024), has the youngest population here (21.5% aged 65 or older) and relies on Utuado for almost everything: hospital and chain pharmacy. Its clinic closes early and is shut on weekends.
- Nearest ERs: Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, Utuado (per CMS), 787-933-1100, about 8 miles in a straight line; Hospital Metropolitano Dr. Pila, Ponce (24-hour adult ER and a pediatric ER per Metro Pavia), 787-848-5600, about 15.
- Health center in town: Policlínica Castañer Jayuya, Calle Guillermo Esteves #49, 787-705-3850, per Hospital Castañer. Per Hospital Castañer, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- There is no Walgreens in Jayuya. The nearest is 940 Carr 123, Utuado, about 8 miles away.
- Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 14 miles.
Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. Book a video visit from Jayuya, US$79.
Online doctor in Adjuntas
Adjuntas has Puerto Rico's third-highest dengue rate in 2026: 116.79 cases per 100,000 residents in weeks 1–37 (21 cases), per the Department of Health. If someone at home has a fever with body aches or pain behind the eyes, check the dengue warning signs; the doctor can assess them by video and tell you whether to go to the ER.
- Nearest ERs: Hospital General Castañer, Lares, 787-829-5010, about 7 miles in a straight line, with an ER "open 24 hours, 365 days" per its site; Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, Utuado (per CMS), 787-933-1100, also about 7; Hospital Pavía Yauco, a 24-hour adult ER per Metro Pavia, 787-856-1000, about 13.
- Health center in town: Policlínica Castañer Adjuntas, Calle Rodolfo González (Route 123 Km 35.7 per HRSA), 787-829-2910. Per Hospital Castañer, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
- There is no Walgreens in Adjuntas. The nearest is in Utuado, about 7 miles away.
- Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 13 miles: Adjuntas is the closest town here to one.
- Population: 17,981, with 24.2% aged 65 or older (Census, 2024).
Online doctor in Lares
Lares has 27,734 residents (Census, 2024) and, in practice, two ERs their operators say are open around the clock: Hospital General Castañer in the Bartolo barrio, and the Centro de Salud de Lares (CISS). What it lacks is a Walgreens.
- Hospital in the municipio: Hospital General Castañer, Route 135, Bo. Bartolo, 787-829-5010, ER open 24 hours, 365 days, per its site.
- Health-center ER: CISS Lares, 787-897-2727, open 24 hours, 7 days a week, per its site. The same operator offers a free after-hours clinical advice line.
- Outside the municipio: Hospital Metropolitano de la Montaña, Utuado, 787-933-1100, about 12 miles; Pavía Arecibo, 787-650-7272, about 15.
- There is no Walgreens in Lares. The nearest is 4145 Ave Arcadio Estrada, San Sebastián, about 8 miles away. Counter: Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m. See west Puerto Rico.
- Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 27 miles.
How a video visit works in the central mountains
Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, is a general practice physician licensed in Puerto Rico, with several years of emergency-department experience. She sees adults and children of all ages, in English or Spanish. She evaluates, diagnoses and treats; if needed, she gives you a lab order for a lab near you. If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy, whether the Walgreens in Utuado or your local drugstore. We do not prescribe controlled substances.
We send you a secure video link; it works on your phone, tablet or computer, including on mobile data where the signal allows. Anyone under 21 needs a parent or legal guardian on the video, with photo ID. Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. Your card is charged when you request the visit (Apple Pay or Google Pay if they appear on the payment page), with a full refund if it can't happen.
- Doctor visit, US$79: new problems and non-emergency urgent care.
- Follow-up, US$49: a refill of a medicine you already take, such as for blood pressure or diabetes.
- Forms, US$35: school, university or job forms.
Before a storm in the mountains
When a hurricane or heavy rain could cut the mountain roads, keep your daily medicines on hand. Read which medicines to prepare before a hurricane and how to look after your health afterwards. If you run out of blood pressure or diabetes pills, a video refill (US$49) goes to whichever pharmacy is open.
Verified on October 2, 2026: the Castañer and CISS Lares ERs and the clinic hours on their operators' sites; the other hospitals in CMS data and on Metro Pavia's lists; pharmacy counters on each Walgreens page; health centers in HRSA data; population from the Census Bureau; dengue from the week 37 report. We re-check these every quarter. See also the northwest coast, north central Puerto Rico and all areas.
How we care for you
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you.
We see adults and children of all ages. Patients under 21: a parent with patria potestad (parental authority) or a legal guardian is on camera for the whole visit and shows photo ID.
Real-time video visit. We send you a secure video link. It works on your phone, tablet or computer.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. We do not prescribe controlled substances.
You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors, tourists and cruise passengers are welcome).
In an emergency, call 911.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a 24-hour ER in Lares?
What are the hours of the Castañer clinics in Adjuntas and Jayuya?
Where is a pharmacy in Jayuya or Adjuntas?
Does a video visit work if I live in the countryside?
About this page
Author: The Health Initiative
Medical care provided by Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD (PR license 24027)
Disclosure: Founding Executive Director of The Health Initiative
Published: 2026-10-02 · Updated: 2026-10-02
Sources (15)
- Hospital General Castañer: emergency room and clinic hours (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Centro de Salud de Lares (CISS): services and emergency room (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Metro Pavia: 24/7 adult emergency rooms (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Metro Pavia: pediatric emergency rooms (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- CMS: Hospital General Information, Puerto Rico (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- CMS: Timely and Effective Care, state values (OP-18b) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- CMS: Timely and Effective Care, national values (OP-18b) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- HRSA: Health Center Service Delivery Sites (operating hours per week) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 940 Carr 123, Utuado: store and pharmacy hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 4145 Ave Arcadio Estrada, San Sebastián: hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 2979 Ave Emilio Fagot, Ponce: 24-hour pharmacy (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- U.S. Census Bureau: municipio population estimates by age, 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- U.S. Census Bureau: 2024 Gazetteer place points (straight-line distances) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Ray et al., Opportunity costs of ambulatory medical care in the United States (Am J Manag Care, 2015) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- PR Department of Health: arboviral surveillance, week 37 of 2026 (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)