No one needs a reminder of the pioneering work that's been done in the last 10 years by the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative. But one arrived last week anyway.

The coalition -- which has been a national leader in the drive to raise health-care quality, cut costs and reduce medical errors -- was chosen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of only four demonstration projects this year that will help the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services test the use of electronic health records with 200 small physician practices. Such record-keeping has been shown to improve the safety and quality of health care, but transferring from paper to an electronic system requires a significant investment.

PRHI's partner in the five-year test program is Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, which has pledged up to $7,000 per eligible physician to buy the technology and take part in the test. CMS has offered incentives up to $58,000 per physician or $290,000 per practice for improvements achieved with electronic records. (To Highmark's credit, the insurer announced on June 6 a broader commitment of $29 million to help doctors acquire more electronic technology.)

In the end, the test will benefit not only doctors and their practices, but also patients, insurers and employers in southwestern Pennsylvania. This is only the latest initiative by the non-profit PRHI and its parent, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, to enhance the value and delivery of medical care. With its collaborators in business, insurance and medicine, the coalition was in the vanguard of the movement to build a culture that strives for "zero" medical errors. In the 10 years that followed, PRHI broadened its focus to preventable readmissions, addiction treatment, end-of-life care and other challenges.

This selection by HHS only certifies the leadership and accomplishment of the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative. What a remarkable decade it's been.