Local health departments have not recommended additional vaccination beyond current guidelines. Texas health officials urge immunization to protect against and prevent the spread of measles. ARC has received additional vaccines for children and adults to keep the community protected. Read our measles vaccination guidelines.
Visit the DSHS website to track the current outbreak in Texas.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is circulating in our area. The best thing you can do to guard your health against pertussis is check that you are up to date on your Tdap or DTap vaccines. If you suspect you may have contracted pertussis or came into contact with someone who was diagnosed, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor or advanced practice clinician (APC). Read our pertussis local update.
Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) doctors, staff, and leadership are committed to providing our community with high quality convenient care. One of the ways we demonstrate this priority is through our online transparency.
You can review our provider ratings and comments on our web site with the confidence that they are all based on verified visits. We post all patient feedback relevant to the entire visit and only refrain from posting comments that are libelous, profane, or those that risk the privacy of our patients.
The below guide provides details about how we collect and share our patient feedback.
ARC partnered with Press Ganey to collect patient feedback about their doctor’s visit. We gather feedback from text surveys that are sent after the visit. Press Ganey is an independent third party customer feedback company that provides the technology to collect the feedback and display ratings and comments on our web site. All ratings are submitted by actual patients and verified by ARC.
Patients for whom we have a mobile phone number receive a text survey within two hours of checking in for their visit. Patients are asked to complete the survey and provide ratings and comments regarding their experience at different touch points of their visit. We use this feedback to recognize doctors and staff, identify issues we can correct, and enhance our care.
ARC posts all positive and negative patient feedback that is relevant to the entire visit. We refrain from posting comments that are libelous, profane, or those that risk the privacy of our patients.
ARC asks questions that touch on the overall patient experience related to their visit. Anyone seeking detailed information about each question can view the ratings for each specific question on the Reviews tab on the provider bio page on the website. We calculate our provider star ratings based on the responses to question number six below. We calculate our location star ratings based on the responses to all the below questions.
Since more recent data provides a more accurate picture, we require a minimum of 30 patient surveys per doctor in the last 12 months before we post a physician’s rating.
ARC physicians and staff review all comments and act to rectify issues. Since the purpose of the feedback is to allow us to improve the overall patient experience, we display the last 90 days of comments which are the most relevant for the practice.
No. Only patients having an outpatient visit by an ARC physician receive a survey. The results are based entirely from patients who have actually been treated by the physician in our clinics.
Comments are reviewed and approved prior to being published to the website. If a comment contains any personally identifiable information, that information will be removed from the comment.
Accepting new patients ARC South 1st Specialty and Pediatrics Ages seen: 0 - 99 Joined ARC: 2019
Dr. Simmons is a native Texan, born in Houston and raised in San Antonio, spending time on his grandparents’ Angus cattle ranch near Lampasas in Central Texas. He has two young children and says, “being a father is the best job I’ve ever had.” Dr. Simmons enjoys reading history and fiction, and writes novels and children’s stories in his spare time. He and his wife love to travel and sample other cultures and cuisines. He also loves a good joke! One of his favorite local spots is Lake Travis, where, he says, “it’s hard to find a more beautiful or peaceful sunset… than out there.” Dr. Simmons and his wife also enjoy Fredericksburg for “a good meal and the quiet.”
While volunteering at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston during college, I saw science put into practical action and how that could help children, and that motivated me to choose medicine. After going to medical school in Dallas, I really enjoyed surgery, which offered the ability to fix a problem for a patient. Otolaryngology was a surgical specialty that treated children, and it offered a great variety of different surgeries and delicate anatomy that fascinated me. I am a listener first, and really enjoy learning about my patients and their families. I believe in evidence-based medicine, making recommendations in the context of what each patient and family needs, including surgery when it is needed.
Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition. Treatment may include oxygen, behavioral changes, surgery, therapy, or the use of a CPAP machine.
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Balloon sinuplasty is minimally invasive and effective at relieving symptoms of chronic sinusitis. ARC Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physicians can open up blocked sinus passageways and drain mucus buildup in patients suffering from chronic sinusitis symptoms by using a flexible balloon catheter.
ARC Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) can help treat your voice problems through consultation, and medicine. If surgery is needed, our ENT physicians have extensive training and experience with medical treatment and surgical management, allowing them to be your guide before and throughout surgery.
Ear surgery, or otoplasty, can correct deformities and improve the shape, position, and proportion of the ear.
Ear tube surgery reduces the risk of ear infections. The tubes are placed into your eardrum by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon and help drain fluid from the ear.
Endoscopic sinus surgery is a procedure to open the passages of the nose and sinuses to treat long-term (chronic) sinus infections.
Eustachian tube balloon dilation can be used on patients who require ear tubes or want to avoid multiple ear tubes.
ARC offers evaluation and management of thyroid nodules and cancer.
Frenulum clipping is the procedure in which the lingual frenulum is cut. It is done when the frenulum seems unusually short or tight.
There are a lot of different cancers covered under "head and neck cancers." These cancers can start in the sinuses, mouth, tongue, throat, tonsils, salivary glands, and voice box.
Surgery for cancers in the head and neck area, including oral, throat, thyroid, parathyroid, and salivary gland areas.
Inspire Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation is an FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment that opens up your airway while you sleep, without a mask. Inspire allows you to breathe normally and sleep peacefully using nerve stimulation.
This surgery is performed by Drs. Kartush, Leary, Patel, and Simmons.
Nasal and sinus surgery is a procedure used to remove blockages in the sinuses and relieve symptoms associated with nasal polyps and sinusitis.
Surgery to correct the nosal, septal, and/or sinus areas.
ARC offers treatment and care for disorders of the head and neck.
Otology is a branch of medicine that studies the ear and diseases, diagnosis, and treatment associated with the area.
Septoplasty is a procedure aimed to alleviate symptoms from a deviated septum.
Treatment and care for acute and chronic sinus conditions.
Our ENT physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) diagnose and treat sleep apnea through medicine and medical devices such as a CPAP machine.
ARC offers telemedicine visits for primary and specialty care. ARC doctors and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) can quickly evaluate you for a new health issue or follow up with you via a phone call or video visit from the comfort of your home.
Thyroid and parathyroid surgery can help regulate the body's metabolism. Surgery aims to help alleviate disease and cancer symptoms and remove tumors.
A frenulum clipping involves a doctor cutting the frenulum, allowing the tongue to move normally.
Tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies are surgeries to have the tonsils and adenoids removed. Often the tonsils and adenoids are removed at the same time. But sometimes, only one or the other is removed.
An ultrasound-guided biopsy of thyroid can help locate a nodule or abnormality within the thyroid.
Ultrasounds can be used to assess head and neck disorders.
ARC ENT physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) offer diagnosis and treatment for voice disorders.
512-443-1311 Fax: 512-406-6266
Rating based on "Did the healthcare provider or doctor provide the care you expected?"
Fast, efficient, professional Everyone was pleasant and polite
Dr Simmons is great with him and is very understanding of his age and relates to him very well. Happy with the care my son is receiving for his difficult situation.
All my questions were answered
Dr is very attentive and nurturing.
Very prompt and helpful service today.
Good visit with Doctor Simmons today on a follow-up and recommendations for check-ups.
Ten ARC physicians, representing six specialties, have been named to the annual “Rising Stars” listing. Find out who’s on the list!
June 29, 2023 < 1 min read
Nine ARC physicians, representing seven specialties, have been named to the annual ‘Rising Stars’ listing. Find out who’s on the list!
June 23, 2022 < 1 min read
There is an FDA-approved CPAP alternative. Attend this free webinar August 26 with ARC Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, Joseph Leary, MD and start breathing easier.
August 18, 2021 < 1 min read
Dr. Simmons is currently accepting new patients at:
Surgical providers are specially trained and licensed physicians who can perform surgical procedures to treat injuries, diseases, and other health conditions. Surgical providers can also diagnose and manage medical conditions, oversee pre-operative and post-operative care, and work closely with your primary care team to coordinate your care.
Non-surgical providers are highly trained and licensed physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who specialize in diagnosing, managing, and treating medical conditions through non-surgical medical care.
Children (ages 3-11) Adolescents (ages 12-18) Toddlers (ages 0-2)