Outliers: SWM, 31, busy hospital exec seeks romantic relationship

Ben Patton may be smart, good-looking and successful, but the head of Integrity Transitional Hospital in Denton, Texas, decided to call in the experts when it came to dating.

The camera-ready CEO of the 54-bed long-term acute-care hospital debuted this month as one of the stars on NBC reality show “Ready for Love,” which tasks matchmakers with finding worthy women for three bachelors.

His co-stars include a musician from Santa Barbara, Calif., and a philanthropist from Miami.

Patton, 31, told the Dallas Morning News that having his nose to the grindstone allowed him to succeed in a career that has taken him around the world, but he missed finding a soulmate.

And while he briefly considered appearing on the reality show “The Bachelor” a number of years ago, a former stint in Dubai, plus the pressure of having to propose within a single season, ultimately led him to say thanks, but no thanks. Or at least until he entered his 30s and realized that all his friends had settled down.

The “Ready for Love” website describes Patton as “tall, dark and handsome,” a Southern gentleman with dimples and with dual degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He's also a do-gooder who has built an orphanage in Uganda and placed poor Bangladeshi children in schools.

Alas, the show's application deadline has passed. But single readers of Outliers take note: unlike “The Bachelor,” this show doesn't require stars to make a lifelong commitment when the cameras stop rolling. The NBC show airs at 9 pm ET on Tuesdays.

Editor's note: After deadline, NBC announced the cancellation of “Ready for Love.”

Follow Outliers on Twitter: @MHOutliers