Pohotovosť (emergency medical service) is for urgent (on-call) medical help in acute situations when a regular ambulancia (outpatient clinic) is closed: in the evening, at night, on weekends, and holidays. You go here when a problem is urgent but not life-threatening.
Types of pohotovosť
- For adults and separately for children (APS — ambulancia pohotovostnej služby, on-call service clinic).
- Dental — zubná pohotovosť (dental emergency service).
- Pharmacy — lekárenská pohotovosť (on-call pharmacy).
There is usually a small co-payment for a visit, and appointments are not made in advance, so be ready to wait in line for a while. The addresses and schedules of on-call points are published on city and hospital websites because they change according to a schedule — it is worth checking them in advance. If the condition is life-threatening (severe chest pain, loss of consciousness, heavy bleeding) — do not go to pohotovosť, but call 155 or 112 immediately.