Areas
See a Doctor on Culebra by Video: CDT, Pharmacies and Ferry
If you need a doctor on Culebra, the island's only emergency room is at the Centro de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento (CDT), run by the Puerto Rico Department of Health; we found no published hours or phone number. In an emergency, call 911. For common problems, Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, sees patients of any age by video from your guesthouse or rental, as long as you are physically in Puerto Rico.
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, trouble breathing or stroke signs
- A swimmer rescued from the water who keeps coughing, is short of breath or confused
- A coral or rock cut that won't stop bleeding, or spreading redness with fever
- An allergic reaction with swelling of the face or throat
Help lines
Culebra's CDT: who runs it in 2026
Culebra had 1,792 residents in the 2020 Census. What some guides call "Hospital de Culebra" is the CDT de Culebra (Centro de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento, a diagnostic and treatment center). According to El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora, its emergency room is run by the Department of Health's field-medicine division. Since September 2, 2026, the nonprofit HealthProMed has run the lab, the pharmacy licence, a general practitioner and an obstetrician who comes once a week, under a temporary three-month agreement that replaced the Menonita health system, per El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora.
The handover has been rocky. On September 18, 2026, The San Juan Daily Star reported that island organizations said nursing staff fell from five nurses to a supervisor and two nurses and that vaccinations stopped, and they asked for a guaranteed doctor in the ER. We could not confirm the CDT's phone number or hours: ask your host and save the number on day one.
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 room on Culebra: call 911
For chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, a severe allergic reaction, a near-drowning or a serious injury, call 911 right away; that is an emergency. The island's ER is the one at the CDT. We could not verify how emergency transfers from Culebra to the main island work, so we won't give details that might be wrong. On the main island, the nearest verified hospital ER to the Ceiba ferry dock is Caribbean Medical Center in Fajardo, about 5 miles away in a straight line, open 24 hours per its site: see Fajardo and Ceiba.
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy on Culebra? Not one we could confirm
According to The San Juan Daily Star, Culebra has two pharmacies. We found hours for neither, so don't assume either is open at night:
Farmacia Cristina, inside the CDT: it has operated there since 2020 and, according to island organizations, has a pharmacist and fills prescriptions the same day.
HealthProMed's pharmacy at its Culebra health center.
Call ahead to check they stock your medication. Once across: Farmacia Caridad Fajardo, 9 Calle Igualdad, 787-863-1880, has a pharmacy counter open Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–7 p.m. and Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The nearest 24-hour counters the Walgreens locator returns are 101 Carr 1, Caguas (787-744-2905) and 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo (787-287-0528); both close 1:30–2 a.m. If you only need a refill of a medicine you already take, see prescription refills.
Sick at night on Culebra: what to do
At night Culebra has no pharmacy with confirmed late hours, and crossing depends on the ferry or small planes. Work through it in this order:
- Is it an emergency? Call 911. The island's ER is the one at the CDT.
- A child with a high fever, trouble breathing or who cannot keep fluids down? That is for the ER or 911, not for waiting until morning.
- Run out of a daily medication? Call your host or the CDT pharmacy first thing in the morning; do not count on a counter being open overnight.
- Something common that can wait a few hours? Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. If the doctor prescribes something, we send your prescription to your pharmacy.
Virtual urgent care: a doctor on Culebra for all ages
For anything that is not an emergency, we offer urgent care by video from your guesthouse or home on Culebra: fever, a cold, a sore throat, UTI symptoms, diarrhea, ear pain after swimming, a sting that swells, or a daily medicine you ran out of. Dr. Diana Nieves Castro is a general practice physician with several years of emergency-department experience, and she sees adults and children of all ages, in English or Spanish.
We evaluate, diagnose and treat; if needed, we give you a lab order for a lab near you. If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to your pharmacy. We do not prescribe controlled substances. Patients under 21 have a parent or legal guardian on the video, showing ID.
We send you a secure video link that works on your phone, tablet or computer. We provide telehealth in Puerto Rico with no office on Culebra, so the visit happens wherever you are, as long as you are physically in Puerto Rico.
What it costs: three prices, no membership
You pay by card through secure checkout; you are charged when you request the visit, with a full refund if the visit can't happen. The same price for every age:
- Doctor visit, US$79: a new problem, urgent care (non-emergencies), children, visitors and tourists. A doctor's note is included if you need one.
- Follow-up visit, US$49: a refill of a medicine you already take (non-controlled), or a review of your lab results if you are an existing patient.
- School and work forms, US$35: school, university or job forms.
- If a US$49 or US$35 visit turns out to need a full visit, the doctor explains why and, with your consent, you pay the difference. Full details on our pricing page.
Leaving Culebra: the ferry to Ceiba, or a small plane
The Culebra ferry crosses to Ceiba, not Fajardo, and takes 1 hour 30 minutes, per Puerto Rico Ferry (opens in a new tab). The Ceiba terminal is at Marina Dr. Roosevelt Roads; the Culebra terminal is on Calle Pedro Márquez. Arrive an hour early; boarding closes 10 minutes before departure. All ticket sales are final, with no refunds, and residents on the reduced fare must show photo ID. Times are in the official itinerary for August 1 to November 30, 2026; we don't copy them here because they change.
By air, the Ports Authority lists Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport (CPX) for commercial and charter passenger flights, and José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba. Per Wikipedia (a secondary source), Air Flamenco flies to Ceiba and Isla Grande, Cape Air to San Juan and Vieques, and Vieques Air Link to Ceiba, Isla Grande and Vieques, on aircraft with 10 seats or fewer. If you are crossing for a medical appointment, confirm times the day before.
Dengue, snorkeling, sea urchins and seasickness
The Puerto Rico Department of Health's weekly report for week 37 (published September 23, 2026) counts 1 dengue case in Culebra for weeks 1–37 of 2026, and 8 in the Fajardo health region, which covers Ceiba, Culebra, Fajardo, Luquillo, Río Grande and Vieques. Few is not zero: use repellent and read the dengue guide. In the water:
- Sea urchins. The Merck Manual says soaking in vinegar dissolves most spines and hot water eases the pain; deeply embedded spines may need to be removed in person. See sea urchin stings.
- Coral and rock cuts. We found no reputable medical source with coral-specific first aid, so we don't give any. If the cut is deep or won't stop bleeding, get seen in person.
- Ear pain after swimming or snorkeling. It may be swimmer's ear, which the doctor can assess by video.
- Jellyfish and sargassum. See our jellyfish sting guide. The University of South Florida, which has a monitoring station off Culebra, reported in August 2026 that sargassum was declining but still above normal.
- Ferry seasickness. The CDC says medication for seasickness works best taken before you sail.
Visiting Culebra
Pack medication for your whole stay plus a margin: crossings depend on the weather, and hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, per the National Hurricane Center. A video visit needs a decent signal, so find the corner of your rental with the best Wi-Fi or data; if the visit can't take place, you get a full refund. Coming from the mainland or abroad? See care for visitors. Heading on to Vieques? It has a rebuilt hospital.
The facts on this page were last verified on 2026-09-30.
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 pharmacy on Culebra?
Where is the nearest ER on Culebra?
Can a doctor see me at my hotel or home on Culebra?
How much is a doctor visit without insurance on Culebra?
Can I get a prescription online while on Culebra?
Where does the Culebra ferry leave from, and can I get a refund?
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 (16)
- El Nuevo Día (Sept 1, 2026): HealthProMed takes over the Culebra CDT (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Primera Hora (Sept 1, 2026): Health Department explains the Culebra CDT changes (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- The San Juan Daily Star (Sept 18, 2026): Culebra groups on CDT services (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Puerto Rico Ferry: Ceiba–Culebra route (terminals, boarding, ticket policy) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Puerto Rico Ports Authority: regional airports (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Wikipedia: Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport (airlines; secondary source) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Wikipedia: Culebra, Puerto Rico (population; secondary source) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Caribbean Medical Center: 24-hour emergency room, Fajardo (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Farmacias Caridad: store locator (pharmacy hours, Fajardo) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens: 24-hour pharmacy counters (searched from Fajardo) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- PR Department of Health: arboviral surveillance, week 37 of 2026 (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- USF Sargassum Watch: August 2026 bulletin and Culebra station (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Merck Manual: sea urchin stings (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CDC Yellow Book: motion sickness (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- National Hurricane Center: climatology (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CMS: good faith estimates for uninsured and self-pay patients (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)