When Pat Wempe walks into a high school in Evansville, Indiana, it’s more than a visit. It’s a return to his roots. A former multi-sport athlete and college baseball player, Pat grew up in the local sports ecosystem. His brother, a high school principal and coach, was a well-known name in the community. These personal connections laid the groundwork for a partnership that would ultimately reshape school-based care in Evansville.
ProRehab’s partnership with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) didn’t begin with a contract. It began with credibility. Pat’s background in sports medicine and longstanding relationships with coaches and athletic directors gave ProRehab early access. EVSC serves 22,000 students and nearly 4,000 employees, including teachers, bus drivers, mechanics, and maintenance staff. It is one of the largest and most visible employers in the region. For many families, it’s the thread that ties generations together. ProRehab saw that and leaned in, not just as healthcare providers, but as neighbors and advocates.
When EVSC began struggling to recruit and retain qualified athletic trainers for their sports programs, ProRehab was ready to fill AT roles, but do so with seasoned professionals who brought clinical excellence and community connection.
“The schools couldn’t find athletics trainers who wanted to teach all day and then cover sports at night, but we could. Our model allowed athletic trainers to do what they loved while being part of a larger clinical team,” Pat explains.
Today, ProRehab provides athletic training services across six public high schools and one parochial school in EVSC. The partnership has since expanded to include mōviHealth, giving faculty, staff, and even students access to hybrid physical therapy without co-pays through BCBS. It’s an innovation that is helping ProRehab reduce costs and expand access, especially in more rural or lower-income areas where hospital access is limited.
“This district is a true melting pot. We’re treating students, Employees, bus drivers, administrators and everyone in between. Our trainers are the access point, and mōviHealth has allowed us to reach even more people with no financial barrier,”says Pat.
That human-first approach shows up in every corner of the relationship. ProRehab staff are embedded in school life. They wear school colors. They volunteer at fundraisers. They support Little League teams and help athletic departments raise money. This isn’t just a vendor relationship. It’s a community alliance.
One story that sticks with Pat is about a factory worker whose wife sought help through mōviHealth. She had debilitating neck pain and feared surgery. With ProRehab’s help, she avoided it. Her husband, skeptical at first, saw his wife’s recovery for shoulder pain said, “hey, what about my shoulder pain?” He had been told he needed surgery, but with hybrid care physical therapy, he recovered fully. “He told me his shoulder hadn’t hurt in months. He never needed surgery. We consider that a huge win for everyone.” Pat recalls.
The partnership continues to grow. A newly signed three-year contract includes expanded language allowing sports clinical specialists, not just athletic trainers, to provide sideline and in-practice care. That flexibility, Pat says, is crucial.
“We’re building our bench for the future. Trainers are still at the heart of this, but now we can support them with even more expertise,” he notes.
Recognition has followed. In April, ProRehab was named Confluent Health’s Community Partner of the Year at the Team Leader Conference Excellence and Leadership Awards. For Pat, it wasn’t just a professional milestone, it was a confirmation.
“We’ve always believed in showing up for the people who show up for us. This partnership with EVSC is in our DNA. It’s not about contracts. It’s all about community. It’s about care.”
As ProRehab and EVSC look to the future, their model of integrated, relationship-driven care is one that other communities are already starting to replicate. Because when you lead with trust, show up with expertise, and put people first, you don’t just create partnerships. You create something stronger.
Because at Confluent Health, we don’t just work in communities; we grow with them. We make them stronger together.
If you’ve been dealing with a nagging injury or persistent pain, don’t wait any longer. Schedule an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists today.
