If you need medical help in Boston, you can find hospitals, urgent care clinics, and 24-hour pharmacies across the Boston metro area. Most minor health issues can be treated at urgent care clinics or pharmacies, while hospitals handle serious emergencies.
Quick decision guide: where to go in Boston
- Minor illness (cold, flu, minor injury): visit an urgent care clinic such as a Mass General Brigham urgent care center or a CVS MinuteClinic.
- Prescription refill: CVS pharmacy counters in Back Bay and Downtown keep daytime hours (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays when we checked). The CVS store at 587 Boylston Street stays open 24 hours for over-the-counter medicine.
- Serious emergency (chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, major bleeding, seizures, loss of consciousness): call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately.
- Poison exposure: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 any time, day or night.
Emergency rooms near Back Bay and Beacon Hill
Brigham and Women's Hospital is at 75 Francis Street, Mission Hill, about a 10-minute drive from Back Bay. Its emergency department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The nearest T stop is Brigham Circle on the Green Line (E branch). Call (617) 732-5500 for general information.
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is at 55 Fruit Street, Beacon Hill, a short walk from the Charles/MGH Red Line station. MGH's emergency department handles trauma, cardiac events, and complex medical cases around the clock. Reach the main line at (617) 726-2000.
Boston Medical Center is at 1 Boston Medical Center Place, South End. Its emergency department is open 24/7 and covers the South End and Roxbury neighborhoods. Call (617) 638-8000.
Urgent care clinics in Boston neighborhoods
Mass General Brigham Express Care (Boston Common) is at 137 Stuart Street, Suite A-7, Downtown. It sees walk-in patients aged three and up, and Mass General Brigham lists it as open 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day, though it can stop registering patients early when it reaches capacity. Call 617-393-5059. The Boylston Green Line stop is a 4-minute walk and Tufts Medical Center on the Orange Line is 5 minutes.
Boston Children's Hospital's emergency department at 300 Longwood Avenue, Longwood Medical Area provides 24-hour care for infants, children, and young adults. If you're traveling with kids, come here instead of a general urgent care clinic for anyone under 18. The Green Line (E branch) stops at Longwood Medical Area.
Boston hospitals and urgent care at a glance
| Facility | Type | Neighborhood | Hours | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital | Hospital ER | Beacon Hill | 24/7 | (617) 726-2000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital | Hospital ER | Mission Hill (near Back Bay) | 24/7 | (617) 732-5500 |
| Boston Medical Center | Hospital ER | South End | 24/7 | (617) 638-8000 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Hospital ER | Longwood/Fenway | 24/7 | (617) 667-7000 |
| Mass General Brigham Express Care (Boston Common) | Urgent Care | Downtown | 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily | 617-393-5059 |
24-hour pharmacies near Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and Downtown
CVS Pharmacy, Back Bay at 587 Boylston Street, Back Bay stays open 24 hours a day, but its pharmacy counter keeps shorter hours (9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays when we checked), so you can buy over-the-counter medicine at any hour but cannot fill a prescription overnight. The Copley Green Line station is a 2-minute walk away.
CVS Pharmacy, Downtown Boston at 333 Washington Street, Downtown is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays (when we checked), so it is not a 24-hour option. Downtown Crossing station (Red and Orange lines) is a 3-minute walk.
CVS Pharmacy, Cambridge at 624 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge covers travelers staying near Harvard Square or Central Square. The pharmacy counter hours differ from the store hours, so call (617) 876-7868 to confirm late-night prescription availability. The Central Square Red Line stop is a 5-minute walk.
Walgreens, Downtown at 24 School Street, Downtown is the closest Walgreens to Beacon Hill in Walgreens' own store list. Call (617) 372-8156 to check pharmacy hours.
Practical tips for getting medical care in Boston
Use the CVS app or Walgreens app before you leave your hotel. Both apps let you check pharmacy wait times, transfer prescriptions from your home pharmacy, and find the nearest 24-hour location. This saves a wasted trip, especially late at night in neighborhoods like Beacon Hill where options thin out after midnight.
Carry your insurance card and a photo ID. Boston urgent care clinics and hospital ERs will ask for both. If you have travel insurance, photograph your policy number and the claims phone number before you leave home. Most clinics accept major US insurance plans, and some accept international travel insurance with prior authorization.
For non-emergency situations in Cambridge, the Harvard University Health Services at 75 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge is only for Harvard students and members of Harvard's health plan, so visitors should use one of the clinics above.
If you need urgent care without an appointment, the Mass General Brigham patient portal lets you reserve a spot at Mass General Brigham urgent care centers, which also see walk-ins, including the one at 137 Stuart Street near Boston Common. You do not need to be a Mass General Brigham patient to use them.
Travelers with children should go to Boston Children's Hospital at 300 Longwood Avenue for any pediatric concern beyond a basic cold. The emergency department there specializes in children and teens, and the staff are trained for pediatric cases that a general urgent care clinic may not handle well.
Key numbers to save before you explore Boston
- Poison Control (national): 1-800-222-1222, available 24/7.
- Massachusetts General Hospital ER (Beacon Hill): (617) 726-2000.
- Brigham and Women's Hospital ER (near Back Bay): (617) 732-5500.
- Boston Medical Center ER (South End): (617) 638-8000.
- CVS Back Bay (587 Boylston Street), store open 24 hours, pharmacy shorter hours: (617) 437-8414.
- CVS Downtown (333 Washington Street): (617) 742-0783.
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ER (Longwood/Fenway): (617) 667-7000.
Official sources for medical help in Boston
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health: official health advisories, vaccination requirements, and disease outbreak alerts for Massachusetts.
- Mass General Brigham Patient Gateway: reserve a spot at a Mass General Brigham urgent care location.
- Boston Public Health Commission: city-level health resources, clinic directories, and public health alerts specific to Boston neighborhoods.
- CDC Travelers' Health: pre-trip vaccination recommendations and health advisories for US domestic and international travelers.
Getting medical care as a visitor
For anything minor, a pharmacy or urgent-care clinic is usually faster and cheaper than an emergency room, and Boston has both throughout the core neighborhoods. Carry your insurance details and a list of any medications, and know that the city's major teaching hospitals (Mass General, Brigham and Women's, Tufts) handle serious emergencies around the clock. Save the key numbers before you head out for the day.
Things to do in Boston, by neighborhood
Where to start in each neighborhood, and what’s on there this weekend.
Frequently asked questions
What's the nearest 24-hour pharmacy to Back Bay in Boston?＋
The CVS at 587 Boylston Street, Back Bay is open 24 hours a day, though its pharmacy counter closes in the evening (7 p.m. on weekdays when we checked). The Copley Green Line station is a 2-minute walk. The CVS at 333 Washington Street, Downtown is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays.
Where's the closest urgent care clinic to Downtown Boston?＋
Mass General Brigham Express Care (Boston Common) at 137 Stuart Street, Suite A-7 is the most central walk-in option, about a 10-minute walk from Downtown Crossing. It treats illnesses and injuries that need prompt care but are not life-threatening, and it is listed as open 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. It can fill up for the day, so call 617-393-5059 before you go. For anything more serious, Massachusetts General Hospital is about a 15-minute walk north on Cambridge Street.
What's the best hospital emergency room near Cambridge?＋
Massachusetts General Hospital at 55 Fruit Street, Beacon Hill is the closest major hospital ER to Cambridge, reachable in about 10 minutes by Red Line from Harvard Square to Charles/MGH station. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at 330 Brookline Avenue, Longwood is another strong option if you are coming from the MIT side of Cambridge. Both run 24-hour emergency departments.
What should I do if I experience chest pain or stroke symptoms in Boston?＋
Call 911 immediately. Do not drive yourself or take the T to a hospital. Boston EMS will dispatch paramedics and transport you to the appropriate emergency department. Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital both have dedicated cardiac and stroke units. With a heart attack or stroke every minute counts, and 911 is the fastest way to get care.
Can I get a prescription filled in Boston if I'm from out of state?＋
Yes. CVS and Walgreens pharmacies in Boston can fill prescriptions from out-of-state doctors, and both chains let you transfer an existing prescription from your home pharmacy using their apps. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If you need a new prescription, an urgent care clinic, such as a Mass General Brigham urgent care center, can see you without an appointment.
What's the nearest hospital to the South End in Boston?＋
Boston Medical Center at 1 Boston Medical Center Place, South End is the primary hospital serving the South End neighborhood. Its emergency department runs 24 hours a day. The Orange Line's Massachusetts Avenue station is about a 15-minute walk from BMC's main address at 850 Harrison Avenue. Brigham and Women's Hospital is also accessible from the South End in about 15 minutes by car or rideshare.
