Medical help in New York City: hospitals, urgent care, and pharmacies

If you need medical help in New York City, you can find hospitals, urgent care clinics, and 24-hour pharmacies across all five boroughs. Most minor health issues can be treated at urgent care clinics or pharmacies, while hospitals handle serious emergencies. Knowing which option fits your situation before you need it saves time and money.

Quick decision guide: where to go for medical help in NYC

Minor illness (cold, fever, minor infection): Go to an urgent care clinic. CityMD has 30+ NYC locations with walk-in hours and typical wait times under an hour.
Prescription refill: Head to a 24-hour CVS or Walgreens. The CVS at 630 Lexington Avenue in Midtown is open 24 hours.
Serious emergency (chest pain, difficulty breathing, major injury): Go directly to a hospital emergency room or call 911.
Poison exposure: Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, any time of day or night.

Emergency rooms near Midtown Manhattan and Times Square

Midtown Manhattan has two major hospital systems within a short distance of Times Square and the Theater District.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center sits on the Upper East Side at 525 East 68th Street, about a 15-minute cab ride from Times Square. Its emergency department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the hospital ranks among the top medical centers in the country for trauma and cardiac care. Call 212-746-5050 for general information.

Mount Sinai Hospital is located at 1 Gustave L. Levy Place on the Upper East Side near Fifth Avenue and 98th Street. Its emergency room runs 24/7 and handles everything from minor injuries to complex trauma. Call 212-241-6500.

NYU Langone Health operates a full emergency department at 550 First Avenue in Murray Hill, roughly 10 minutes by cab from Midtown. The ER is open around the clock. Call 212-263-7300.

Hospitals in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn

Travelers staying in Lower Manhattan, the Financial District, or Brooklyn have solid hospital options nearby.

NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn is at 150 55th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The emergency department is open 24/7 and serves a large portion of Brooklyn's population. Call 718-630-7000.

NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital operates at 170 William Street in the Financial District, about a 5-minute walk from the Brooklyn Bridge. The emergency room is open 24 hours. Call 212-312-5000. This is the closest full-service ER to tourists visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Wall Street area.

Kings County Hospital in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, at 451 Clarkson Avenue, runs a 24-hour emergency department and is part of the NYC Health + Hospitals public system. Call 718-245-3131.

NYC urgent care vs. emergency room: cost and wait time comparison

Option	Typical cost (uninsured)	Average wait time	Best for
Urgent care clinic (e.g., CityMD)	$150–$250 per visit	15–45 minutes	Minor illness, infections, sprains, stitches
Hospital emergency room	$500–$3,000+ per visit	1–6 hours	Chest pain, breathing problems, major trauma
24-hour pharmacy (consultation)	$0–$30	5–15 minutes	OTC advice, prescription refills, minor symptoms
Telehealth (e.g., Teladoc)	$75–$150 per visit	10–30 minutes	Minor illness, prescription renewal, no physical exam needed

Urgent care clinics near Times Square and Midtown Manhattan

CityMD is the most widespread urgent care brand in NYC, with multiple Midtown locations you can walk into without an appointment.

CityMD Midtown West is at 763 Ninth Avenue, two blocks from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and about a 5-minute walk from Times Square. Hours run 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Call 212-956-0900.

CityMD Midtown East operates at 317 East 34th Street near the Murray Hill neighborhood, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays. Call 212-213-2400.

GoHealth Urgent Care partners with Northwell Health and has a location at 1407 Broadway in the Garment District, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. You can book a spot online through the GoHealth website to reduce your wait.

Urgent care on the Upper East Side and in Brooklyn

The Upper East Side has several urgent care options within walking distance of major hotels along Park and Lexington Avenues.

CityMD Upper East Side at 1623 Second Avenue is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Call 212-249-2273. This location sits between 84th and 85th Streets, a short walk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

CityMD Park Slope in Brooklyn is at 189 Flatbush Avenue, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays. Call 718-230-2273. Travelers staying in Brooklyn near Prospect Park or the Barclays Center can reach this clinic in under 10 minutes on foot from the Atlantic Avenue subway hub.

24-hour pharmacies near Times Square, Midtown, and the Upper East Side

Several CVS and Walgreens locations in Manhattan stay open around the clock, which matters when you need medication at 2 a.m.

CVS Pharmacy at 630 Lexington Avenue (630 Lexington Avenue) in Midtown East is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. It stocks a full range of over-the-counter medications, travel supplies, and has an on-site pharmacy counter. Call 212-935-0561.

Walgreens at 1471 Second Avenue (1471 Second Avenue) on the Upper East Side near 77th Street is open 24 hours. The pharmacy counter closes at midnight but reopens at 8 a.m. Call 212-744-4807.

CVS at 250 West 57th Street (250 West 57th Street) near Columbus Circle is open 24 hours and has a pharmacy counter open until 9 p.m. on weekdays. Call 212-245-0055. This location is about a 10-minute walk from Times Square.

Duane Reade by Walgreens at 40 Wall Street (40 Wall Street) in the Financial District is open 24 hours and serves travelers in Lower Manhattan. Call 212-269-2476.

Practical tips for getting medical help in NYC as a traveler

Download the Solv Health app or check CityMD's website before you leave your hotel. Both let you see real-time wait times and hold your spot at nearby urgent care clinics, which cuts your in-person wait to under 15 minutes at most Midtown locations.
If you have travel insurance, call your insurer's 24-hour line before visiting an ER. Many policies require pre-authorization for non-emergency hospital visits, and skipping this step can cost you reimbursement.
Travelers near Times Square who need a prescription filled after 9 p.m. should head to the 24-hour CVS at 630 Lexington Avenue in Midtown East, about a 10-minute cab ride from the Theater District.
NYC Health + Hospitals runs 11 public hospitals across the five boroughs and treats patients regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. The closest to Midtown is Bellevue Hospital Center at 462 First Avenue in Kips Bay. Call 212-562-4141.
For non-emergency medical questions at any hour, call 311. NYC's 311 line connects you to city services and can direct you to the nearest clinic, hospital, or mental health resource based on your location.
If you're visiting from outside the US and need help understanding your insurance coverage, the NYC Health Department's visitor health page lists free and low-cost clinics across all five boroughs.

Sustainable travel and healthcare in NYC

Choosing urgent care clinics over emergency rooms for minor illnesses reduces strain on hospital resources and cuts down on unnecessary medical waste from over-treatment. NYC Health + Hospitals, the city's public hospital network, has committed to reducing its carbon footprint through energy-efficient facilities, and several of its clinics in Brooklyn and the Bronx have received green building certifications. When you pick the right level of care for your situation, you contribute to a system that can serve everyone more efficiently.

Official sources for medical help in New York City

NYC Health + Hospitals — The city's public hospital network with 11 hospitals and 70+ clinics. Lists locations, hours, and services across all five boroughs.
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — Official city health department with traveler health resources, clinic finders, and emergency health alerts.
Poison Control Center — Call 1-800-222-1222 for immediate guidance on any poisoning or overdose situation, 24 hours a day.
New York State Department of Health — State-level health resources including licensed facility lookups and traveler health advisories.

FAQs

Common Questions

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center at [525 East 68th Street](https://maps.google.com/?q=525+East+68th+Street+New+York+NY+10065) is one of the top-ranked hospitals near Midtown, about 15 minutes by cab from Times Square. For a faster option, NYU Langone Health at [550 First Avenue](https://maps.google.com/?q=550+First+Avenue+New+York+NY+10016) in Murray Hill is roughly 10 minutes away and has a 24-hour emergency department. For non-emergencies, CityMD Midtown West at [763 Ninth Avenue](https://maps.google.com/?q=763+Ninth+Avenue+New+York+NY+10019) is a 5-minute walk and handles most minor issues without an appointment.

The CVS at [630 Lexington Avenue](https://maps.google.com/?q=630+Lexington+Avenue+New+York+NY+10022) in Midtown East is open 24 hours and has a pharmacy counter. The Duane Reade at [40 Wall Street](https://maps.google.com/?q=40+Wall+Street+New+York+NY+10005) covers Lower Manhattan around the clock. For the Upper East Side, the Walgreens at [1471 Second Avenue](https://maps.google.com/?q=1471+Second+Avenue+New+York+NY+10075) near 77th Street stays open 24 hours, though the pharmacy counter closes at midnight.

Most urgent care visits in NYC run between $150 and $250 without insurance. CityMD charges around $200 for a standard visit and accepts most major insurance plans. If cost is a concern, NYC Health + Hospitals operates community health centers across the city that charge on a sliding scale based on income. Call 212-442-9200 or visit [nychealthandhospitals.org](https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org) to find the nearest location.

Urgent care clinics like CityMD handle non-life-threatening conditions: infections, minor cuts, sprains, flu symptoms, and basic lab work. Emergency rooms at hospitals handle serious or potentially life-threatening situations like chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe allergic reactions, and major injuries. ER visits cost significantly more and involve longer waits, often 1 to 6 hours in NYC. If you're unsure which to choose, call 911 for anything that feels like a true emergency.

Yes. NYC's public hospital system, NYC Health + Hospitals, treats patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Bellevue Hospital Center at [462 First Avenue](https://maps.google.com/?q=462+First+Avenue+New+York+NY+10016) in Kips Bay is the flagship public hospital and operates a 24-hour ER. Community health centers in the network charge on a sliding scale. For minor issues, urgent care clinics like CityMD accept cash and credit cards, with visits typically costing $150 to $250 out of pocket.

The [Solv Health app](https://www.solvhealth.com) shows real-time wait times at urgent care clinics near your location and lets you hold a spot before you arrive. The [CityMD website](https://www.citymd.com) has a location finder with current hours for all 30+ NYC locations. Both tools work well for travelers in Midtown, the Upper East Side, and Brooklyn who want to avoid long waits.

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