Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment

Open Enrollment for a marketplace health plan on HealthCare.gov is open until December 15 for your coverage to start January 1. Stay with your ARC care team by choosing one of the following health plans: Ambetter, Blue Advantage, MyBlue, Moda, Sendero, or UnitedHealthcare Exchange Plan. 

We are not in the Oscar or Harbor Health Insurance networks.

All insurance plans accepted by ARC, including government plans, are listed online at ARCinsuranceinfo.com.

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Parul Desai, MD

Parul M. Desai, MD

Cardiology

ARC Patient Feedback

Guide to ARC Patient Feedback and Ratings

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.

Who runs the survey?

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.

How do patients receive the survey?

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.

Do you post all positive and negative comments?

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.

What questions do we ask?

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.

  1. Rate how easy it was to make your appointment.
  2. Rate the helpfulness of the front-desk staff.
  3. Rate the helpfulness of the doctor's nurse and/or medical assistant (MA).
  4. Did the healthcare provider or doctor provide the care you expected?
  5. How likely is it that you would refer a friend/family member to this doctor or NP/PA?
  6. Please let us know anything that you particularly liked or disliked about your experience with today’s office visit.

Why don't all providers display a rating?

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.

Why can I only see comments from the last 90 days?

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.

Can anyone complete a survey or post a comment about a physician?

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.

How is patient information protected?

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 Available at Multiple Locations Ages seen: 18 - 99 Joined ARC: 2018

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About Parul M. Desai, MD

  • Dr. Desai grew up in diverse places, including Zambia, India, and Los Angeles. When she is not working, Dr. Desai loves to be outdoors – hiking, swimming, biking, and mainly walking on the trail near her house. Her other passions include travel, reading, and live music. However, much of her free time is spent being a mom! Dr. Desai goes to her children’s soccer and basketball games, and she enjoys watching Ultimate Frisbee and the Austin Torch. She also volunteers monthly at Mobile Loaves & Fishes, and at People’s Community Clinic.

In choosing a career, I found that medicine allowed me to apply science to help and change the lives of patients and, more importantly, allowed me to form a personal and long-term involvement with individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and interests. Cardiology transfixed me early: the physiology of the heart, the physical exam, the breadth and depth of the disease, and the many tools to actually make a long-term difference. I believe in suspending judgment, walking in the patient’s shoes, and educating the patient about why a medication or procedure will work. Knowing my patient’s wishes and belief system helps guide me.

Services

Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring

Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring

Cardiac rhythm monitoring helps measure the rhythm of your heart in order to identify an irregular heart rhythm disorders.

Echocardiograms

Echocardiograms

ARC Cardiology offers standard echocardiograms and stress echocardiograms for patients 18 and older. A referral from your physician or advanced practice clinician (APC) is required to schedule an echocardiogram at ARC.

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Nuclear Stress Testing

Nuclear Stress Testing

Nuclear stress tests use a small amount of radioactive tracer and an imaging machine to create pictures showing blood flow.

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Stress Echocardiogram

Stress Echocardiogram

Stress echocardiography uses ultrasound imaging to show how well your heart works to pump blood to your body. It can help detect a decrease in blood flow to the heart from narrowing in the coronary arteries.

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Stress Testing

Stress Testing

A stress test shows how your heart works during physical activity, revealing problems with blood flow within your heart. We offer three basic types of stress testing: exercise/treadmill stress tests, nuclear stress tests, and stress echocardiograms.

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Telemedicine Visits

Telemedicine Visits

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.

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Treadmill Stress Testing

Treadmill Stress Testing

A treadmill test helps determine how well your heart handles work. As your body works harder during the test, it requires more oxygen, so the heart must pump more blood. The test can show if the blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply the heart. It also helps doctors know the kind and level of exercise appropriate for a patient.

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Locations & Hours

Credentials

  • Board Certifications
    Board Certified in Cardiology and Internal Medicine
  • Fellowship
    Cardiology Fellowship, Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, CA, 1998
  • Residency
    University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 1995
  • Medical School
    Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 1992
  • Education
    B.A. in Biological Sciences and B.A. in Spanish, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, 1986
  • Professional Positions
    • Chief, ARC Cardiology Department
    • Fellow, American College of Cardiology
    • Texas Medical Association
    • Travis County Medical Society
  • Awards & Honors

Mentions

Dr. Desai is currently accepting new patients. Call to schedule at:

Surgical providers

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

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.

Ages Seen

Children (ages 3-11)
Adolescents (ages 12-18)
Toddlers (ages 0-2)