Doug Present
mediumactivewhartonadvisorpe-boardshealthcare-servicesreferral-source
Background
- 3 years at Deloitte post-MBA
- Started managed care consulting firm in 1993 — grew to 10 people
- Had a physician buying group alongside it ($250-300K/year profit)
- Sold both to the wrong buyer, bundled them when he should have kept them separate
- Buyer crashed, asked Doug to run the turnaround — did it, still didn't get paid well
- "Didn't really start getting paid until 30"
- Eventually built a successful career in PE-backed healthcare services boards
What He Cares About
- Productization vs. consulting: His #1 message to us. He lived the consulting trap and doesn't want us to repeat it.
- Replicability: "What could you say to somebody — how could you get paid for somebody new for the work you're doing today that isn't just an hourly process?"
- Long-term career thinking: Advises everyone to think 10-20 years out, not just current revenue
- Revenue cycle management: Sees this as the highest-impact area for AI in healthcare services
- The Shields model: Embed with one big client, build product, sell to others
His Network (mentioned)
- Ken at Frazier — Doug brought him to guest lecture at Wharton. We've already connected with Ken separately.
- Patrice Wolfe (AGS Health) — Personal friend, CEO who used AI to transform RCM, sold to Blackstone for ~$1.4B. Doug considered her as a Wharton case study.
- Daughter — Works at Accenture healthcare practice in NYC (Chelsea). Just moved onto a major company's AI strategy project. May apply to Wharton HCM fall 2027 (already admitted to Kellogg, holding spot).
- Golf buddy — Chairman of a major healthcare company that just hired Accenture for AI strategy. Doug's daughter is on that project (chairman doesn't know). Playing golf in ~2 weeks.
What He Sees in Boardrooms
Every PE-backed healthcare services board is asking about AI. Most are doing lip service. Frazier and Summit are the exceptions — actually systematic. Most CEOs/CFOs/COOs are "no more sophisticated on this than I am" and are hiring junior people to figure it out.
Interactions
| Date | Type | Summary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Catch-up call | Advisory conversation — consulting trap warning, offered referrals, recommended RCM + Shields model | call note |
Who
- Wharton HCM adjunct faculty — teaching one class per fall for 20 years, extensive 1-on-1 mentoring with first years
- Thomas took his class
- Chairman of 4 PE-backed healthcare services companies (names unknown — he's discreet)
- Runs "Douglas Present Associates" — his advisory/board practice
- Based in Boca Raton, FL
- Email: dpresent@wharton.upenn.edu
Connection to Us
- Advisory / referral source. Not an investor (doesn't do early stage, doesn't invest in what he doesn't understand).
- Well-positioned to refer portfolio companies that need AI consulting help
- Can make introductions to PE firms and healthcare services executives
- 30 years of healthcare services experience — strategic perspective
- Explicitly offered: "If I can help you with introducing you to other people that might be interested in what you're talking about, you know how to get ahold of me."