Emergency department or health centre: where to go
The hospital emergency department is for situations carrying a risk to life or of serious sequelae, the health centre resolves most acute minor problems, and where signs of severity are present the correct action is to call 112 before travelling anywhere.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- 112 is the European emergency number.
- Hospital triage sorts patients into 5 priority levels.
- Lower priority levels can wait several hours in high season.
- Out of hours primary care covers evenings, nights and holidays.
In an emergency department nobody is seen in the order they arrived. Understanding that explains why someone who came later goes in first.
When to call 112
Loss of consciousness. Chest pain, particularly if it radiates to the arm or jaw. Difficulty breathing. Signs of stroke: weakness on one side, facial droop, disturbed speech. Bleeding that will not stop. A seizure. Serious trauma. In these situations do not drive to the hospital: call, because treatment begins on the phone and continues in the ambulance.
| Situation | Resource | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Chest pain or breathing difficulty | 112 | maximum |
| Signs of stroke | 112 | maximum |
| Trauma with deformity or serious wound | hospital emergency | high |
| High fever with poor general state | hospital emergency | high |
| Fever without signs of severity | health centre | medium |
| Minor wound, mild sprain | health centre | medium |
| Prescription, review or check | routine appointment | low |
| Triage levels | 5 |
How triage works
On arrival a professional classifies the case into 5 levels according to severity and risk of deterioration. Level 1 is seen immediately and level 5 may wait hours. That wait is not disorganisation; it means the case carries no immediate risk. In high season, with the island's population well above its usual level, lower priority cases can wait 3 or 4 hours on a busy day.
What the health centre handles
Respiratory problems, fever without alarm signs, minor wounds needing cleaning and sutures, mild sprains, urinary infections, chronic disease management and assessment of acute pain that does not meet severity criteria. Going there instead of to hospital usually means a shorter wait and the same clinical outcome, and it leaves hospital resources for those who need them.
Outside normal hours, out of hours primary care points cover evenings, nights and public holidays within the primary care network.
What to bring
Health card or European health card, identification, a list of current medication with active ingredients and doses, and recent reports if the problem has a history. Those 4 items make assessment faster and avoid repeated tests. Visitors without public cover should also carry their travel policy with the assistance telephone number to hand.
Frequently asked
+When should I call 112?
For loss of consciousness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, signs of stroke, serious bleeding or a seizure.
+Why are others seen before me?
Because triage sorts by severity into five levels, not by order of arrival.
+What does the health centre handle?
Fever without alarm signs, minor wounds, mild sprains, urinary infections and chronic disease reviews.
+And outside normal hours?
Out of hours primary care points cover evenings, nights and public holidays.
+What should I bring?
Health card, identification, a medication list with active ingredients and any recent reports.
Sources
- 1Ministerio de Sanidad, Gobierno de España (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)