You came to Florianópolis for the beaches, the trails or a few months of remote work — not to spend an afternoon explaining a fever in a language you don't speak. But people do get ill on holiday, medication runs out, and the city is more spread out than it looks on a map.

Here is where care actually happens on the island, and how to get seen quickly.

Where you are changes where you should go

Florianópolis covers an island plus part of the mainland, and the northern and southern ends are a long drive apart. If you are staying in Ingleses or Canasvieiras and something happens at night, the city centre is not your nearest option — and in high season the traffic makes it worse.

The city runs three 24-hour urgent care units (UPA), one for each part of it:

  • UPA Norte da Ilha — Vargem Grande. Covers Ingleses, Canasvieiras, Rio Vermelho and Cachoeira do Bom Jesus.
  • UPA Sul da Ilha — inside the MultiHospital de Florianópolis, Avenida Deputado Diomício Freitas 3393, Carianos, on the old airport site. It moved there in June 2024 and is now the largest unit in the city.
  • UPA Continente — for the mainland side of Florianópolis.

UPAs handle consultations, stitches and injuries, and have X-ray, basic lab tests and an ECG on site. For something urgent that is not life-threatening, a UPA is usually faster than a hospital emergency department. Private clinics are also an option if you have travel insurance.

What public care will and will not do for a visitor

Emergency care is provided to anyone in Brazil, tourists included. You will not be turned away for being foreign or having no documents.

Two things to know before you go:

  • Routine, non-urgent care is not guaranteed for people who do not live in Brazil.
  • Staff who speak English are uncommon. Bring a translation app, and write down your symptoms, your allergies and the medicines you take.

When an online consultation is faster

For what travellers actually get — a stomach bug, a urinary infection, a sinus infection, a skin reaction, or medication that ran out — a video consultation with a doctor licensed in Brazil is usually quicker than going anywhere.

You speak in your own language, from wherever you are staying, and no Brazilian CPF or local phone number is needed. A prescription issued this way is valid at pharmacies across the country, and the doctor only needs to be registered with the medical council of their own state. Ours is registered with CRM-SC — the council of Santa Catarina, the state Florianópolis belongs to.

If you want the wider picture first, read our guide on how healthcare works for foreigners in Brazil.

Getting your medicine

If a pharmacy turned you away, this is why: antibiotics require a prescription in Brazil, and the pharmacy keeps a copy. A prescription written by a doctor at home is not valid here — you need one issued in Brazil. There is more on this in our article about how to get a prescription or medicine in Brazil.

If you take a controlled medicine — the kind that needs a yellow or blue prescription form — the rules are stricter, but it is not out of reach. Say so when you book, and the doctor will confirm the right route for your case before the appointment.

Emergency numbers

  • 192 — SAMU, mobile 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 a pronto-socorro immediately. Do not wait for an online appointment and do not drive yourself.

Deciding quickly

Choose online when you can describe the problem and what you need is a diagnosis, a prescription, a medical certificate or an exam request.

Go in person when you need to be examined, when you need imaging or urgent tests, or when symptoms are intense or getting worse fast.

Frequently asked questions about seeing a doctor in Florianópolis

Do I need a CPF to see a doctor in Florianópolis?

No. A CPF is a Brazilian tax number, and you do not need one for an online consultation or to receive a prescription.

Will a pharmacy in Florianópolis accept a digital prescription?

Yes. A prescription issued by a Brazilian-licensed doctor and digitally signed under Brazilian rules is valid at pharmacies across the country.

Can I use a UPA as a tourist?

Yes, for urgent problems. Emergency care is provided to anyone in Brazil. Routine care is a different matter and is not guaranteed for non-residents.

What if I get worse after an online consultation?

Seek in-person care. An online consultation is a starting point, not a replacement for being examined when symptoms escalate.

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. Rules referenced: Law 14.510/2022 (telehealth), Anvisa RDC 20/2011 (antibiotics) and RDC 1.000/2025 with Portaria 344/98 (controlled medicines).

If you are in Florianópolis and need care today, you can book an online consultation in English and speak to a Brazilian-licensed doctor from wherever you are staying.