Mission statements and quality improvement: An assessment of the written quality improvement plans of the paramedic provider agencies in Los Angeles County (California)

The objective of this qualitative study was to determine whether paramedic provider agencies in Los Angeles County, California, were using their written quality improvement (QI) plan to communicate their organization's mission statement. The sample of 31 organizations providing paramedic services included 27 fire departments, 3 private ambulance companies, and 1 law enforcement agency. The contents of each provider's written QI plan were analyzed to determine whether: (a) it contained a mission statement, (b) the mission statement in the written QI plan matched the agency's official mission statement, and (c) any provider agencies had identical mission statements. The study found that these provider agencies recognized that mission statements are a component of a written QI plan; a majority of the agencies were not utilizing their written QI plans as a vehicle to communicate the agency's primary mission statement as defined by the agency's chief officer or executive.