Areas
Doctor in Isla Verde by Video, Plus the Nearest ERs and Pharmacies
Need a doctor in Isla Verde without leaving your hotel? Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, sees you by video while you are in Puerto Rico, with urgent care for adults and kids of all ages. For an emergency, the nearest 24-hour ERs we verified are Hospital UPR Federico Trilla in Carolina and Ashford Presbyterian in Condado. The Walgreens pharmacy counter on Isla Verde Avenue closes at 7 p.m. on weekdays; the nearest 24-hour counter is in Guaynabo.
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:
- Someone pulled from the water who coughed a lot, is short of breath or is confused
- A jellyfish or man o' war sting with trouble breathing, chest pain, or welts over a large area
- Fever with severe belly pain, repeated vomiting, or bleeding gums or nose
- Confusion, hot dry skin or fainting after time in the sun
Help lines
Emergency rooms near Isla Verde hotels
We found no emergency room inside Isla Verde itself. These are the nearest ones, checked against each hospital's own website; none is affiliated with us. If someone is seriously ill, do not drive them yourself: call 911 and give your hotel name or your Isla Verde Avenue address.
Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla, inland in Carolina: Route 3 km 8.3, Ave. 65 de Infantería, Carolina, PR 00984. Phone 787-757-1800. The hospital says its ER runs around the clock, handles orthopedic and pediatric emergencies, and has a separate pediatric ER.
Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital ("El Presby"), west along the coast in Condado: 1451 Ashford Ave, San Juan, PR 00907. Phone 787-721-2160, ER extensions 1095–1098. Open 24 hours, 7 days, with a pediatric ER. Its website describes it as the official emergency hospital for the airport, the cruise docks, the Convention Center and metro-area hotels.
Centro Médico de Puerto Rico (ASEM), Barrio Monacillos, Río Piedras. Phone 787-777-3535. The island's top-level trauma center, meant for major trauma rather than a fever or a small cut; an ambulance crew usually makes that call.
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.
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy in Isla Verde?
There are stores open late on Isla Verde Avenue, but no pharmacy counter open all night that we could verify. Store hours and counter hours are different things, and that trips up a lot of hotel guests. From each store's page on the Walgreens locator and from the Farmacias Caridad directory:
Walgreens, 5984 Ave Isla Verde, Carolina, PR 00979, 787-982-0390. Store: daily 6 a.m.–midnight. Pharmacy counter: Mon–Fri 9 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. daily.
Farmacia Caridad Isla Verde, 8030 Calle Tartak, Carolina, PR 00979, 787-641-0153. Shop floor: 24 hours. Pharmacy counter: Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Its listing advertises drive-thru and delivery; ask whether they apply to prescriptions. No Farmacias Caridad store in Puerto Rico has a 24-hour counter.
Nearest verified 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo, PR 00969, 787-287-0528. Open 24 hours except a 1:30–2 a.m. meal break. The next 24-hour counters on the locator are in Caguas (101 Carr 1) and Bayamón (4699 RR 5).
Hours change: confirm by phone or on the Walgreens 24-hour pharmacy locator (opens in a new tab) before you leave the hotel.
Sick at night in Isla Verde: what to do after 7 p.m.
At night the hard part in Isla Verde is not finding an open store but an open pharmacy counter. Work through it in this order:
- Is it an emergency? Trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, or someone pulled from the water who is coughing or short of breath: call 911. Federico Trilla and Ashford are open 24 hours.
- Need something over the counter? The Farmacia Caridad shop floor on Calle Tartak is open 24 hours, and the Walgreens store on Isla Verde Avenue until midnight.
- Need a prescription filled tonight? The nearest open counter we verified is the Walgreens in Guaynabo, closed 1:30–2 a.m. for a meal break. Call before you book a taxi.
- Can it wait until morning? 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; the Isla Verde Avenue counters open at 9 a.m. on weekdays.
Virtual urgent care: a doctor in Isla Verde for all ages
We could not confirm a walk-in urgent care clinic or CDT inside Isla Verde from a primary source, so we list none. The nearest extended-hours urgent care we verified, in Barrazas, is on our Carolina and SJU airport page.
For anything that is not an emergency, we offer urgent care by video from your room: sunburn, diarrhea after eating out, UTI symptoms, a sore throat, ear pain after the beach, allergies, or the blood-pressure pills you left at home (see lost or forgotten prescriptions). 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. Room Wi-Fi can be weak in beachfront towers; a balcony or the lobby usually does better. On vacation? See care for visitors.
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.
Isla Verde beach safety: rip currents, man o' war and sargassum
The beach runs from Punta El Medio at the west end to the hotels by the airport. It is open Atlantic water, and conditions change from day to day. Before you swim:
- Rip currents. The National Weather Service in San Juan issues a Surf Zone Forecast (opens in a new tab) for its "San Juan and Vicinity" zone, which includes the beaches of Carolina. A moderate risk means life-threatening rip currents are possible; a high risk means they are likely. UV index and water temperature are on its beach forecast (opens in a new tab).
- If a rip current pulls you out, NOAA says don't fight it: swim parallel to the shore and head back to land at an angle. The National Weather Service advises swimming only where there are lifeguards and asking them about the day's conditions. We found no primary source for lifeguard hours or beach flags at Isla Verde, so we do not publish any.
- Portuguese man o' war. NOAA says the sting is rarely deadly but "packs a painful punch" and causes welts, and it can still sting weeks after washing ashore. We could not confirm Isla Verde-specific sightings; still, leave blue bubbles on the sand alone. See jellyfish and man o' war stings.
- Sargassum. University of South Florida monitoring reported in August 2026 that seaweed amounts were falling but still above the historical norm, with beaching continuing across the Caribbean. Avoid wading through big mats and follow beach notices. See sargassum health effects.
- Heat and ears. The CDC lists cramps, heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, weakness and nausea as signs of heat illness. Ear pain after swimming may be swimmer's ear, which the doctor can assess by video.
The airport strip, Punta Las Marías, Piñones and Loíza
The hotels at the east end of Isla Verde sit right by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. If your problem is landing sick or falling ill before a flight home, our Carolina and SJU airport page covers that. Staying at the west end, toward Punta Las Marías? See our Ocean Park page.
East past the airport, the road runs on to Piñones and Loíza, with quieter beaches, food kiosks and fewer services nearby. Take water, sunscreen and repellent. If the day includes rivers or ponds, the CDC advises against swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water in Puerto Rico because of schistosomiasis.
Dengue and mosquitoes in Isla Verde: 2026 data
Isla Verde is part of the municipality of Carolina. The Puerto Rico Department of Health's weekly report for week 37 (published September 23, 2026) counts 18 dengue cases in Carolina so far in 2026, about 11.9 per 100,000 residents, far below Caguas. The CDC advises travelers to use repellent with at least 20% DEET, wear long sleeves and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms. A fever with body aches during or after your trip is worth a visit; the warning signs are in our dengue guide.
Addresses, phone numbers and hours 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 in Isla Verde?
Where is the nearest ER to Isla Verde hotels?
Can a doctor see me at my hotel in Isla Verde?
How much is a doctor visit without insurance in Puerto Rico?
Can I get a prescription online in Puerto Rico?
What should I do after a man o' war sting on Isla Verde beach?
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: 2026-09-30 · Updated: 2026-10-02
Sources (17)
- Ashford Presbyterian: emergency department (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- ASEM: Centro Médico location (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens, 5984 Ave Isla Verde: store and pharmacy hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Walgreens: 24-hour pharmacies near Carolina (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- Farmacias Caridad: store locator (floor and pharmacy hours) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- National Weather Service San Juan: Surf Zone Forecast (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- National Weather Service San Juan: beach forecast (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- National Weather Service: rip current safety (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- NOAA: rip currents (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- NOAA: Portuguese man o' war (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- USF Sargassum Watch: August 2026 bulletin (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CDC: heat-related illness (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- CDC: travelers' health, Puerto Rico (repellent, freshwater) (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)
- CMS: good faith estimates for uninsured and self-pay patients (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)
- HealthCare.gov: community health centers (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-09-30)