Alcimed Position Paper – How to unleash the potential of healthcare: key learnings towards local authorities

With the prospects of relocating strategic activities in connection with the COVID-19, health holds more promise than ever of new activities and jobs for the territories. However, implementing an economic development strategy in health is often a long, winding road for local authorities. In this white paper, Alcimed deciphers the profile and key success factors of health hotspots in France and abroad. To prepare for the future, we also identify the actual burning, structuring issues faced by local authorities.

Making health a vehicle for economic development and innovation on my territory: what ingredients for a successful strategy?

Health has established itself within local authorities as a source of high potential economic development and innovation. It represents a significant pool of activities and qualified jobs. This economic lung is all the more robust as health does not “know the crisis”, and even develops some of its activities in times of health crisis.

Health is also a source of innovation – not only medical innovation – and of major influence for a territory, with strong spin-offs in terms of attractiveness and employment.

Therefore, most local authorities with the competence of economic development are now considering their positioning in the health sector. However, carrying out a successful economic development strategy is generally more of a winding torrent than a smooth river!

There are many pitfalls and traps, and it often takes years to achieve tangible results. For local authorities, it implies intervention at different levels:

• Defining and managing the strategy
• Animation of the ecosystem
• Governance and organisation
• Regional planning.

The analysis of metropolises that have implemented successful strategies reveals common and guiding lines at each of these levels.

In this position paper, you will explore:

• The profile of a health “stronghold” and its key indicators
• The 4 common key success factors revealed by the analysis of these “stronghold” territories, in France and abroad
• The key issues and new roles for local authorities in terms of economic development in health, from supporting open innovation to integrating the challenges linked to environmental protection or data management.