Finding a doctor in Madison

How care is organized

Madison has several large systems and a few smaller ones. Each runs its own clinics and has its own "find a doctor" tool.

• UW Health is the system affiliated with the University of Wisconsin. Its Wisconsin Welcome Center helps people choose a primary care provider, including one for the whole family, through an online form or by phone.
• SSM Health, which includes Dean Medical Group clinics in Madison, such as its clinic on South Stoughton Road. SSM Health says it has more than 70 primary, specialty and eye care clinics across Wisconsin.
• UnityPoint Health–Meriter runs Meriter Hospital on South Park Street and a network of clinics. UW Health describes Meriter as a partner, about two miles from University Hospital.
• Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (GHC-SCW) is a nonprofit, member-owned health plan that also provides care. It lists Madison-area clinics including Capitol, East, Hatchery Hill, Sauk Trails and Olin, plus the Madison College Community Clinic.
• Access Community Health Centers is a federally qualified health center in Madison offering primary and behavioral health care. See the section on community clinics below.

Browse local practices in our doctors and medical specialists directories, and see hospitals for emergency departments.

Check your insurance network first

UW Health suggests you verify with your insurance plan that its providers are in your network, and UnityPoint Health–Meriter's weekend clinic says the same about billing: confirm it accepts your plan before you go. Call the number on your insurance card or use your plan's online provider directory, then confirm with the clinic when you book.

GHC-SCW works differently from most systems because it's also a health plan. It describes plans for people living inside Dane County and a separate plan for people living outside it, along with Medicare, BadgerCare Plus and employer plans. Its website also has a page for getting care as a non-member.

If you need coverage, the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov says open enrollment for 2027 plans runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027; enrolling by December 15 means coverage starts January 1. Wisconsin's BadgerCare Plus covers eligible low-income residents, and you apply through the state's ACCESS site.

Becoming a new patient

Each system has its own steps, so start on its website.

• UW Health: Complete the online Find a Primary Doctor form or call the Welcome Center. After you choose a provider, you fill out registration forms and can set up a MyChart account. UW Health asks you to arrive about 15 minutes early for a first visit.
• SSM Health: Use the Find a Doctor search at ssmhealth.com or the clinic's own page, which offers online scheduling and MyChart.
• UnityPoint Health–Meriter: The Find a Primary Care Provider search can show only providers who are taking new patients. You can choose family medicine, which treats all ages, or internal medicine, which treats adults 18 and older.
• GHC-SCW: Start with its New Members information or contact Member Services through ghcscw.com.

Availability for new patients changes, so ask each clinic whether it's accepting them and how long the wait is for a first visit.

Urgent care, the ER and virtual visits

Urgent care is for illnesses or injuries that aren't life-threatening but need timely care, according to UnityPoint Health. The emergency department is for severe or life-threatening symptoms. UnityPoint's Meriter clinic page says chest pain or trouble breathing calls for 911 or the emergency room.

A few options to know about, as listed on each organization's own pages:

• UnityPoint Health–Meriter Weekend After-Hours Clinic is a walk-in clinic at 202 South Park Street, open Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed weekdays.
• SSM Health Express Virtual Care offers on-demand virtual visits, listed as open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• UW Health offers Care Anywhere video visits, and GHC-SCW lists urgent care among its services.

Check a clinic's page for current hours before you go. Browse more options under urgent care. For prescriptions, see local pharmacies.

Free and community clinics

If you're uninsured or have limited income, you have a few options in Madison.

• Federally qualified health centers such as Access Community Health Centers. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration says health centers must serve everyone even if they can't pay and set charges by income and household size. Check Access's website for its Madison locations and how to register.
• Specialty Care Free Clinic at 1409 Emil Street serves lower-income uninsured patients from 12 south-central Wisconsin counties. It offers specialty care through volunteers and works through referrals; ask your primary care clinic whether you qualify. It's open Tuesday through Thursday.
• MEDiC, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's student-run program, lists clinics including the Southside Clinic, which provides free urgent care for uninsured and underinsured adults, and a mental health clinic at The Beacon.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services also lists free and low-cost care options, including help with prescription drugs, on its Consumer Guide to Health Care.

Dentists

Dental care is usually separate from your medical insurance and your primary care system. Browse our dentists directory and ask each office which dental plans it accepts. Community health centers also provide dental care for underserved populations, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Mental health

You can search local counselors and therapy practices in our therapists directory. Access Community Health Centers integrates behavioral health with primary care.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers support by call, text or chat, 24 hours a day. It's free and confidential, and text and chat are available in Spanish. Call or text 988. For a medical emergency, call 911.

What to bring to a first visit

Bring your insurance card and a photo ID, since registrars review your demographic and insurance details at check-in. Arrive early, about 15 minutes at UW Health, so there's time to finish any forms. It also helps to write down your medications and health history, any questions you have, and the names of your previous providers. If you've set up an online portal such as MyChart, you may be able to finish check-in before you arrive.