Areas
Doctor Online in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Luquillo and Loíza: ERs, Pharmacies and El Yunque
Looking for a doctor online in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Luquillo or Loíza? Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, sees patients of all ages by video at home, as long as you are in Puerto Rico. For an emergency, Río Grande has a CDT with a 24/7 ER; from Luquillo the nearest hospital ER is in Fajardo, and from Loíza, in Carolina.
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:
- Fever with yellow skin or eyes, very little urine or shortness of breath after swimming in a river
- Chest pain, shortness of breath or weakness on one side of the body
- Someone pulled from the water who is coughing hard or struggling to breathe
- A baby under 3 months with a fever
Help lines
Doctor online in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico: what you can handle from home
None of these three towns has a hospital, so an in-person visit usually means leaving town. For an emergency, go to the nearest ER or call 911. For a cold, a UTI, a fungal infection, a rash after El Yunque or the beach, or a refill, the doctor sees you by video: no driving or parking, you skip the waiting room, and the price is clear before you book.
If appropriate, the doctor prescribes and we send your prescription to the pharmacy you choose, such as the Walgreens on PR-3 in Río Grande, open daily until 10 p.m. Book a video visit from Río Grande, US$79.
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| Hours and time | We do not publish a wait time.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.
Río Grande: a 24/7 CDT ER and a pharmacy open until 10 p.m.
Río Grande has 45,297 residents (Census, 2024). In an emergency call 911. None of these places is part of our service:
CDT Río Grande (Caribbean Medical Center), Calle Pimentel y Castro #200, Río Grande. Phone 787-809-1020. Its page says "Sala de Emergencias 24/7" and lists doctors, nursing, a clinical lab and X-ray. It is a CDT, not a hospital: for a serious case, the 911 ambulance crew decides which hospital to use.
Nearest hospitals in CMS data: Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla in Carolina, 787-757-1800, about 10 miles in a straight line; and Caribbean Medical Center in Fajardo, 787-801-0081, about 12 miles.
Walgreens, Carr 3 Km 23.9, 787-887-0237. Counter: daily 8 a.m.–10 p.m., per its page on October 2, 2026.
Nearest 24-hour counter: Walgreens, 101 Carr 1, Caguas, 787-744-2905, about 16 miles in a straight line; closed 1:30–2 a.m.
Health center: Clínica de Salud Familiar de Río Grande, 16 Calle Pimentel, 787-888-0480, run by Concilio de Salud Integral de Loíza; 42.5 hours a week per HRSA.
El Yunque rivers and pools: fresh water
The CDC says schistosomiasis, a parasite spread in fresh water, is found in Puerto Rico, and advises against swimming in untreated fresh water such as rivers, lakes or ponds. It also warns about leptospirosis, caught by swimming or wading in fresh water or mud contaminated with animal urine, especially after rain and flooding.
If you swam in a river or pool and 2 to 30 days later have fever, headache, muscle aches or red eyes, which the CDC lists as leptospirosis symptoms, the doctor evaluates you by video and, if needed, gives you a lab order. Read our leptospirosis guide. With yellow skin or eyes, very little urine, shortness of breath or confusion, go to the ER.
Doctor online in Luquillo
Luquillo has 17,387 residents, and 25.9% are 65 or older (Census, 2024). It has no hospital: the nearest 24-hour ER is Caribbean Medical Center, Ave. Osvaldo Molina #151, Fajardo, 787-801-0081, about 5 miles in a straight line, which its site says treats children, adults and older adults. See Fajardo and Ceiba.
Walgreens, 889 Calle 2, Luquillo, 787-889-3107. Counter: Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; closed 1:30–2 p.m.
Nearest 24-hour counter: Caguas, about 22 miles in a straight line. If you need a medicine after 8 p.m. on a weekday, the PR-3 counter in Río Grande is open until 10 p.m.
Health center: Clínica Familiar de Luquillo, Carr 992 Km 6.9, Mata de Plátano, 787-876-2042 ext. 400; 37.5 hours a week per HRSA.
Spending the day at Luquillo beach and got a jellyfish sting or a sunburn? Read jellyfish stings and sunburn; the doctor can look at your skin by video. Book a video visit from Luquillo, US$79.
Doctor online in Loíza
Loíza has 22,047 residents (Census, 2024). Its population has aged quickly: 25.3% are 65 or older, up from 20.1% in the 2020 Census. It has no hospital and no Walgreens.
- ER in Loíza: the Concilio de Salud Integral de Loíza site lists a "Sala de emergencia en Loíza", 787-876-2042 ext. 251. It publishes no hours, so we cannot confirm it is open at night: call first. Its main health center, at PR-188 and Carr 187 (787-876-3130), is open 40 hours a week per HRSA.
- Nearest hospital: Concilio itself points to the Hospital UPR Dr. Federico Trilla ER in Carolina, 787-757-1800, about 7 miles in a straight line. See doctor in Carolina.
- Nearest pharmacy: Walgreens, 17000 Carr 3, Canóvanas, 787-957-8050, about 4 miles in a straight line. Counter: Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m. See Trujillo Alto and Canóvanas.
- Nearest 24-hour counter: Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo, 787-287-0528, about 15 miles in a straight line.
If you are in Piñones or at home in Loíza and it is not an emergency, a video visit saves you the trip to Carolina. Book a video visit from Loíza, US$79.
How we care for you by video in Río Grande, Luquillo and Loíza
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; anyone under 21 needs a parent or legal guardian on the video, with photo ID. She evaluates, diagnoses and treats; if needed, she gives you a lab order for a lab near you. We do not prescribe controlled substances.
We send you a secure video link that works on your phone, tablet or computer. Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. You are charged when you request it, with a full refund if the visit 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.
- Forms, US$35: school, university or job forms.
How this page was verified
Verified on October 2, 2026: CDT Río Grande and Caribbean Medical Center on their operator's pages; the Concilio ER on concilioloiza.org; hospitals in CMS data; pharmacy counters on each Walgreens page; health centers in HRSA data; population from the Census Bureau; fresh-water risks on the CDC's Puerto Rico page. Distances are straight lines, not drive times. We re-check these facts every quarter. See also 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 Río Grande?
Where is the nearest ER to Luquillo?
Is there an emergency room in Loíza?
I swam in an El Yunque river and now have a fever: what should I do?
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 (14)
- Caribbean Medical Center: CDT Río Grande (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Caribbean Medical Center: phone directory (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Caribbean Medical Center: emergency room (Spanish) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Concilio de Salud Integral de Loíza (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)
- Walgreens, Carr 3 Km 23.9, Río Grande: hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 889 Calle 2, Luquillo: hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 17000 Carr 3, Canóvanas: hours (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 101 Carr 1, Caguas: 24-hour pharmacy (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo: 24-hour pharmacy (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- HRSA: health center service delivery sites (Concilio de Salud Integral de Loíza) (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- U.S. Census Bureau: municipio population estimates, 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- CDC: traveler health information for Puerto Rico (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)
- CDC: about leptospirosis (opens in a new tab) (accessed 2026-10-02)