Quality of care and patient safety are at the very core of the RPPEO. We work toward a culture of safety where every patient gets the care we would want for our loved ones. In this culture, patient safety incidents and hazards are regularly identified using a fair and just process. Audits and improvement initiatives are constantly working to pinpoint and downgrade risk all while working to create new ways to bring safer care to our patients.

The quality review and quality improvement dimensions built into our program are founded on Just Culture principles. Building on Just Culture, we approach patient safety incident reviews from a systems perspective. Our philosophy balances the accountability of the individual health care provider and the system attributes in which the paramedic works.

In addition to identifying omissions or commissions in care, we seek to uncover contributing factors that led to the incident - the "why is this happening" - and mitigate those circumstances. This systemic approach follows best practices in quality and patient safety, and is endorsed by renowned institutions such as the World Health Organization, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and the Canadian Federation for Healthcare Improvement.