As a result of Harvard not owning its own hospitals, HMS needs to be sure that both the business and the educational perspective are taken into account, Lowenstein said. Hence HMS hopes to play an active role in the selection of Reinertsen’s successor and the future direction of Harvard’s teaching hospitals.

“We seem to be at the table so far,” Lowenstein said.

Leadership is coming from the top down, involving not only HMS Dean Joseph P. Martin, but also the University’s central administration.

“Harvard has a great stake in its teaching hospitals,” University President Lawrence H. Summers said in an interview last week.

“One of the things I’ve done over the last few months is spend time with people from the teaching hospitals, and Joe Martin discussing the Boston-area medical scene.”

But the University’s worries aren’t confined to preserving the educational mission. Harvard is also affiliated with Partners, CareGroup’s rival hospital organization, which represents Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospital.

“There’s no question that competition is not in the best interest of the hospitals or the school,” Lowenstein said.

Fostering a collaborative spirit has been one of Martin’s goals, Lowenstein said, something with which he “has done a great job.”

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.