PRN & MemorialCare Deepen SoCal Reach with Garden Grove PT Clinic

GARDEN GROVE, CA – April 30, 2026 – The Southern California healthcare landscape saw another significant expansion of integrated services today as Physical Rehabilitation Network (PRN) and MemorialCare announced the grand opening of a new outpatient physical therapy clinic in Garden Grove. Located at 11869 Valley View St., the facility is the 39th clinic in the highly successful joint venture between the national physical therapy operator and the prominent regional nonprofit health system.

Operating under PRN’s trusted local brand, California Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy (Cal Rehab), the clinic aims to provide a comprehensive suite of services to patients of all ages, including pre- and post-operative rehabilitation, sports medicine, and non-surgical pain management.

A Strategic Partnership Redefining Regional Care

The opening in Garden Grove is the latest milestone for a partnership that has become a model for integrating specialized services within a large health system. The collaboration between PRN, a leading operator with over 270 clinics nationwide, and MemorialCare, a cornerstone of Southern California healthcare, has proven mutually beneficial. Since its inception, the joint venture has reportedly enabled MemorialCare to retain 98% of its physical therapy referrals in-house, a testament to the seamless care coordination the model provides.

“Physical therapy works best when it's connected to everything else in a patient's care journey, and that's exactly what this partnership with MemorialCare makes possible,” said Ajay Gupta, CEO of PRN. “Opening this clinic means more Southern California families have a place to go where the team actually knows them, talks to their other providers, and sticks with them through the whole recovery - not just the first visit.”

PRN’s growth strategy, backed by private equity firm Gryphon Investors, leverages a “therapist-friendly” partnership model to expand its national footprint. This approach involves strategic acquisitions and joint ventures with major health systems like MemorialCare and HCA Healthcare. This model allows PRN to bring its specialized operational expertise to established patient networks, enhancing service lines and improving access.

For MemorialCare, the partnership aligns perfectly with its mission to deliver coordinated, evidence-based care across its vast network, which includes four major hospitals and over 200 care locations. By integrating physical therapy more closely with its primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and other specialists, the system can offer a more holistic and efficient patient experience.

Meeting the Needs of the Garden Grove Community

While the Garden Grove physical therapy market is competitive, the new Cal Rehab clinic enters with a distinct advantage: its direct integration with the MemorialCare network. This connection provides a built-in referral stream and assures patients of a continuum of care that standalone clinics cannot easily replicate.

The decision to expand into Garden Grove is also a strategic response to identified community health needs. MemorialCare’s regular Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) have consistently highlighted “access to care” as a top priority for the region. By opening an accessible, state-of-the-art outpatient facility, the partnership directly addresses this need, bringing high-quality rehabilitation services closer to home for the city’s more than 170,000 residents.

The clinic is designed to be a one-stop shop for physical recovery, offering a broad range of treatments that cater to a diverse patient population, from high school athletes recovering from sports injuries to seniors working to improve mobility and maintain independence.

Leadership with Specialized Expertise and Discipline

Leading the new clinic is Director Michael Simpson, PT, DPT, COMT, a clinician whose background blends military discipline with advanced therapeutic expertise. A five-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Simpson brings a disciplined, goal-oriented approach to patient rehabilitation. He earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from The University of St. Augustine San Marcos after completing undergraduate studies at Cal State Long Beach.

His credentials include the distinguished “COMT” designation, signifying he is a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist. This advanced certification represents a high level of competency in hands-on techniques, including soft tissue work and joint mobilization, grounded in critical thinking and evidence-based practice. This specialization allows for highly individualized treatment plans that move beyond standard protocols to address the specific root causes of a patient's condition.

“At our Garden Grove clinic, we’re focused on delivering care that’s both purposeful and personal,” said Simpson. “My goal is to create an environment where patients feel supported, challenged, and confident in their progress, whether they’re recovering from injury or working to improve their overall mobility and strength.”

Simpson's experience across outpatient, inpatient, and aquatic therapy settings further equips the clinic to manage a wide spectrum of patient needs with a versatile, hands-on approach.

A Blueprint for the Future of Physical Therapy

The Garden Grove opening is more than just a new location; it reflects a broader evolution in healthcare toward integrated, outpatient-focused delivery models. As health systems face pressure to improve outcomes while managing costs, partnerships with specialized operators like PRN offer a powerful solution. They allow large systems to expand their service offerings efficiently, reduce patient leakage to outside providers, and ensure a consistent standard of care across the network.

Patient access is a cornerstone of this model. The new Cal Rehab clinic accepts most major insurance plans and provides a coverage verification process to ensure patients have financial clarity before beginning treatment. With 39 locations now spanning Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties, the PRN-MemorialCare network has created an extensive and accessible system for patients across Southern California.

As this successful partnership continues to expand, it sets a benchmark for how specialized providers and regional health systems can collaborate to enhance community health and wellness across the region.