Three different care routes
Use your GP for planned care, repeat prescriptions and persistent symptoms. Ambulantná pohotovostná služba (APS) addresses acute problems outside normal practice hours that should not wait but are not immediately life-threatening. A hospital urgentný príjem treats emergencies and prioritises patients by clinical urgency, not arrival time.
Call 155 for a life-threatening medical emergency; 112 is the general emergency number. Give the exact address, age, incident and breathing status, then follow instructions. Do not delay for an insurance card or transport a seriously injured person yourself if the dispatcher advises waiting for an ambulance.
Adult hospital and duty-practice care
UNB confirms 24-hour central admission at Nemocnica Ružinov, Ružinovská 6. Adult ambulatory duty care is a separate service; UNB identifies the practice at Ružinovská 10. For a non-life-threatening problem, check the practice, hours and specialty in e‑VÚC before travelling. A hospital address does not mean every specialist is available around the clock without an appointment.
Choose a planned-care department based on your referral and insurer contract, not simply the nearest hospital name. Confirm booking, entrance and building. Share the emergency report with your treating doctor; an urgent-care visit does not replace follow-up.
Children: NÚDCH at Limbová 1
NÚDCH, the National Institute of Children’s Diseases at Limbová 1, runs separate services. Published paediatric APS hours are Monday–Friday 16:00–20:00 and weekends/public holidays 08:00–20:00. Its emergency department provides continuous urgent care. The old claim that children’s duty care runs until 22:00 is incorrect. Check the current e‑VÚC daily or monthly rota before using APS.
Documents and possible charges
If time allows, bring ID, proof of cover or dočasné útočisko, a medication and allergy list and recent reports. Notify commercial-policy assistance as required. Statutory charges, co-payments or coverage exclusions may apply; request an explanation and keep the receipt. Missing documents should never delay emergency care.