Health, legitimacy, and alliances: why the healthcare sector needs a stakeholder strategy

Few industries generate as much public attention, political sensitivity, and regulatory complexity as healthcare. Hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, research centers, patient associations, public administrations, professional bodies, and citizens form a dense ecosystem where interdependence is the norm. In this context, having a strong medical or care offering is not enough — what’s needed is legitimacy, support, and alignment with the surrounding actors.

The concept of stakeholder engagement —often associated with the corporate or financial world— takes on an even more strategic dimension here. It’s not just about enhancing reputation or avoiding conflict, but about ensuring that the organization’s goals —whether care-related, scientific, social, or economic— can be achieved with stability and broad-based support.

Take the example of a private hospital: its relationships with regional health authorities, medical boards, patient associations, or local media can be just as critical as its surgical plan. For a pharmaceutical company, dialogue with regulators, scientific societies, and healthcare policymakers is as essential as its innovation pipeline. And for a medical technology firm, collaboration with hospital administrators and healthcare professionals can determine how quickly its solutions are adopted.

The pandemic further underscored the need for structured stakeholder engagement. Companies that already had solid relationships and active channels with key stakeholders were better equipped to manage uncertainty, access accurate information, anticipate public decisions, and even co-develop solutions. Those without such networks were left behind or found themselves at the center of poorly handled controversies.

In healthcare, institutional positioning is part of operational success. This means having a precise understanding of who the key players are in each region, how they think, what they fear, what they expect, and how they interact with one another. It also means building a credible narrative —aligned with the public interest— that positions the organization as part of the solution to the system’s major challenges: sustainability, equity, innovation, and personalized care.

That narrative cannot be improvised. It must be grounded in evidence, sectoral sensitivity, and long-term vision. Occasional public relations efforts are not enough. What’s needed is the activation of listening platforms, regulatory foresight, institutional participation, and strategic alliances. And all of this requires structure, resources, and leadership.

The good news is that healthcare offers fertile ground for collaborative relationships. Many actors share common concerns: aging populations, digital transformation, talent shortages, and budgetary pressure. The challenge lies in how to translate those shared concerns into mutual trust and joint initiatives.

A well-designed stakeholder engagement strategy can help a healthcare organization gain legitimacy, strengthen its reputation, shape public policy, prevent unnecessary conflicts, and build partnerships that multiply its impact.

This is not an accessory activity — it’s an investment in institutional resilience. In a sector where decisions are not made solely on technical or market grounds but within complex frameworks of influence and perception, stakeholder relationships are a source of competitive advantage.

Ultimately, healthcare organizations that view their environment as an asset —not a risk— and manage their relationships strategically will be better prepared to navigate the challenges ahead. Because in healthcare, more than in any other sector, no one moves forward alone.