Búzios is a small peninsula town with an international crowd and a health service sized for a town, not for the population it holds in high season. Knowing that in advance changes how you plan.
Where to go
The public reference is the Hospital Municipal Dr. Rodolpho Perissé, on Estrada dos Búzios, in São José, which operates 24 hours with an urgency and emergency service. It also covers imaging and laboratory diagnostics, orthopaedics and traumatology.
As in any small town, the more complex a case is, the more likely it is to be stabilised locally and referred to a larger hospital in the region. That is standard practice and not a sign that something has gone wrong.
What a beach town sends to the clinic
Sun and sea produce a predictable list: sunburn, dehydration, stomach upsets, cuts from rocks or shells, insect bites and allergic reactions. Most of it can be assessed and prescribed for remotely, which in a town where distances are short but queues are long is often the faster route.
As a foreigner
Emergency care in Brazil is provided to anyone, without documents and without payment. Routine care is not guaranteed for non-residents, and English-speaking staff are uncommon outside the tourist trade. Carry your passport and a written list of your medicines with generic names.
When an online consultation is faster
For what travellers actually get — a stomach bug, a urinary or sinus infection, a skin reaction, sunburn, or medication that ran out — a video consultation with a doctor licensed in Brazil is usually quicker than going anywhere in Búzios.
You speak in your own language, from wherever you are staying, and no Brazilian CPF or local phone number is needed. The prescription is valid at pharmacies across the country. More context in how healthcare works for foreigners in Brazil.
If a pharmacy turned you away: antibiotics require a prescription in Brazil, and one written by your doctor at home is not valid here. See how to get a prescription or medicine in Brazil.
Emergency numbers
- 192 — SAMU, emergency medical service
- 193 — fire brigade and rescue
- 190 — police
For chest pain, difficulty breathing, a serious injury or any life-threatening symptom, call 192 or go to the nearest emergency service immediately. Do not wait for an online appointment and do not drive yourself.
Frequently asked questions about seeing a doctor in Búzios
Is there a 24-hour service in Búzios?
Yes. The municipal hospital runs an urgency and emergency service around the clock.
What happens with a complex case?
Stabilisation locally and referral to a larger regional hospital, as in most small towns.
Do I need a CPF?
No, not for emergency care nor for a private or online consultation.
Can sunburn or a stomach upset be handled online?
Usually yes, including a prescription valid at any pharmacy in Brazil.
This article is general information and does not replace an individual medical assessment. Reviewed by Dr. Marcelo Rafael Lujan, physician registered with CRM-SC 42.900. Under Brazilian telehealth law, a prescription issued in an online consultation is valid nationwide.
If you are in Búzios and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.