Online Doctor in West Puerto Rico: From Añasco to La Parguera

The west splits two ways. The coastal and valley towns (Añasco, Hormigueros, Sabana Grande and Lajas) use the hospitals in Mayagüez and San Germán. San Sebastián is closest to Hospital San Carlos Borromeo in Moca. Las Marías and Maricao, in the mountains, are 8 to 11 miles in a straight line from the Mayagüez and San Germán hospitals and from Hospital General Castañer in Lares, whose site says its ER is open 24 hours, 365 days a year.

Pharmacies are another story: the nearest 24-hour counter to any of these seven towns is the Walgreens on Ave Emilio Fagot in Ponce, 24 to 40 miles away in a straight line. Five of the seven towns have no Walgreens. So for a problem that is not an emergency, a video visit with the prescription sent to your local pharmacy is often the practical choice.

For anything that is not an emergency, 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. In an emergency, call 911.

Book a video visit from the west, US$79.

Añasco, with 24,689 residents (Census, 2024), is the only one of the seven with its own Walgreens on the coast, but the counter is closed on Sundays, and the town is the farthest in this area from a 24-hour counter: about 40 miles to Ponce.

• Nearest ER: Hospital Bella Vista, Mayagüez (per CMS), 787-652-6045, about 6 miles. Downtown Mayagüez is about 6 miles from downtown Añasco.
• Walgreens, Hacienda Shopping Center (4511), 787-826-1090. Pharmacy counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; closed Sunday. Store: 7 a.m.–11 p.m.
• Sunday: the nearest open counter is Walgreens, 992 Ave Hostos, Mayagüez, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens, 2979 Ave Emilio Fagot, Ponce, 787-841-7400.

Book a video visit from Añasco, US$79.

Hormigueros has the oldest population in the west: 31.1% of its 15,290 residents are 65 or older (Census, 2024). It has no Walgreens, but the Mayagüez store with the area's longest counter hours is about 2 miles away.

• Nearest ER: Hospital Bella Vista, Mayagüez (per CMS), 787-652-6045, about 4 miles in a straight line.
• Health center: MEDX Medical Experience Hormigueros, 3 Ave Luis Muñoz Marín, 787-908-3689, run by Migrant Health Center; HRSA lists 37.5 hours a week.
• Nearest pharmacy: Walgreens, 992 Ave Hostos, Mayagüez, 787-831-9251. Counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.–6 p.m. The store is open 24 hours.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 35 miles.

If you care for an older adult, the doctor can see them by video at home for a prescription refill (US$49) or a new problem (US$79). Book a video visit from Hormigueros.

San Sebastián is the largest town here, with 38,999 residents (Census, 2024), and has the most pharmacy and health-center options. Its nearest ER is at Hospital San Carlos Borromeo in Moca, about 9 miles away in a straight line.

• Nearest ERs: Hospital San Carlos Borromeo, Moca (per CMS, no published hours), 787-877-8000, about 9 miles; Hospital Bella Vista, Mayagüez (per CMS), 787-652-6045, about 13; Hospital General Castañer, Lares (24 hours per its site), 787-829-5010, about 15.
• Health centers: MEDX San Sebastián, Route 119 Km 35, Bo. Piedras Blancas, 787-896-1665, 73 hours a week per HRSA; CISS San Sebastián, 1800 Ave Emérito Estrada, 787-896-5788, 37.5 hours.
• Walgreens, 4145 Ave Arcadio Estrada, 787-896-1040. Pharmacy counter: Mon–Fri 7 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.
• Farmacia Caridad San Sebastián Shopping Center, Route 111 Km 18.7, 787-896-4141. Counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 34 miles.

Book a video visit from San Sebastián, US$79.

Las Marías has 8,674 residents (Census, 2024) and no chain pharmacy. It sits about as far from the Mayagüez coast as from Castañer's 24-hour ER in Lares.

• Nearest ERs: Hospital Bella Vista, Mayagüez (per CMS), 787-652-6045, and Hospital General Castañer, Lares (24 hours per its site), 787-829-5010, each about 11 miles in a straight line.
• Health center in town: MEDX Las Marías, Route 119, Calle Luis Montalvo, Bo. Maravilla Norte, 787-827-3798; HRSA lists 50 hours a week.
• There is no Walgreens in Las Marías. The nearest is 4145 Ave Arcadio Estrada, San Sebastián, about 6 miles away, with Sunday counter hours of 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 30 miles.

Book a video visit from Las Marías, US$79.

Maricao has the fewest residents of any town in this guide: 4,486 in 2024, 5.7% fewer than in 2020 (Census). 27.6% are 65 or older. It has a health center and a pharmacy run by the same operator on the same street, but no hospital and no Walgreens.

• Nearest ERs: Hospital de la Concepción, San Germán (per CMS), 787-892-1860, about 8 miles in a straight line; Hospital General Castañer (24 hours per its site), 787-829-5010, about 9.5.
• Health center and pharmacy in town: MEDX Maricao, 7 Calle Zuzuarregui, 787-838-3029, 47.5 hours a week per HRSA; and its pharmacy, 11 Calle Zuzuarregui, 787-838-3834, 40 hours a week.
• Nearest Walgreens: 10 Ave Fenwal, San Germán, 787-892-4406, about 7 miles. Counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 27 miles.

Book a video visit from Maricao, US$79.

Sabana Grande, with 22,183 residents (Census, 2024), sits between hospitals run by two different systems: Concepción in San Germán and Pavía Yauco. It is the western town closest to the Ponce 24-hour counter, about 24 miles away. We found no health center with published hours in town.

• Nearest ERs: Hospital de la Concepción (per CMS), 787-892-1860, about 5 miles; Hospital Pavía Yauco, a 24-hour adult ER per Metro Pavia, 787-856-1000, about 7. See Yauco.
• There is no Walgreens in Sabana Grande. The nearest is 10 Ave Fenwal, San Germán, about 4 miles away: counter until 10 p.m. on weekdays.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens, 2979 Ave Emilio Fagot, Ponce, 787-841-7400.

Book a video visit from Sabana Grande, US$79.

Lajas has 22,888 residents (Census, 2024), 28.5% of them 65 or older, and is the only town here with two Farmacias Caridad. Its Parguera barrio is home to La Parguera, with mangrove cays and Bahía Fosforescente, a bioluminescent bay (secondary source). If you are visiting La Parguera and get sick, the doctor can see you by video where you are staying: see care for visitors.

• Nearest ER: Hospital de la Concepción, San Germán (per CMS), 787-892-1860, about 3 miles in a straight line from downtown Lajas.
• Health centers: MEDX Lajas, Route 101 Km 7.1, Bo. Llanos, 787-710-8915, 54 hours a week per HRSA; and a second MEDX site at Route 122 Km 0.6, 787-652-2376, 42.5 hours.
• Farmacia Caridad Lajas Carr. 116, Route 116 Km 0.5, 787-808-1585. Counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Farmacia Caridad Lajas Pueblo, Calle Concordia #4, 787-899-1585. Counter: Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–12 p.m.; closed Sunday.
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy counter: Walgreens Ponce, about 30 miles.

In the water at La Parguera, know how to handle jellyfish stings and sea urchin spines, and check the National Weather Service beach forecast (opens in a new tab). Book a video visit from Lajas, US$79.

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 that is the Walgreens in San Sebastián, a Caridad in Lajas 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. 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.

The Puerto Rico Department of Health's week 37 report (published September 23, 2026) shows, for weeks 1–37 of 2026, 2 dengue cases in San Sebastián and 1 each in Añasco, Sabana Grande and Lajas, against 922 island-wide. Few cases does not mean no dengue: use repellent and learn the warning signs.

Verified on October 2, 2026: hospitals in CMS data, on Castañer's site and on Metro Pavia's list; pharmacy counters on each Walgreens page and the Farmacias Caridad locator; health centers in HRSA data; population from the Census Bureau. Distances are straight lines. We re-check these every quarter. See also Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez, San Germán and all areas.