EMSGrades publishes reviews submitted by patients, family members, EMS providers, and employers. We believe strongly in the public's right to share honest experiences. We will not remove a review simply because an agency or provider disagrees with it, finds it unflattering, or disputes its characterization of events.
At the same time, we recognize that false or fabricated reviews can cause real harm. This policy establishes a fair, transparent process for agencies and providers to challenge reviews they believe violate our Community Guidelines.
This dispute process is available to:
Licensed EMS agencies with a profile on EMSGrades;
Individual EMS providers with a profile on EMSGrades;
Authorized representatives of the above.
2. What We Will Consider
We will investigate a dispute and consider removing or editing a review if you provide credible evidence that the review:
Is factually false: Contains specific, verifiable statements of fact that are demonstrably untrue (not just disputed or subject to differing interpretation);
Was submitted by someone without firsthand experience: The reviewer demonstrably never interacted with your agency or provider;
Constitutes a conflict of interest: The review was submitted by a direct competitor, a reviewer with a financial incentive, or a reviewer acting in bad faith;
Contains prohibited content: The review includes content prohibited by our Community Guidelines (personal attacks, HIPAA-protected information, threats, etc.);
Is fabricated: The review describes an event, incident, or interaction that did not occur;
Violates our Terms of Service in any other clearly documented way.
3. What We Will Not Consider
We will not remove a review on the following grounds:
The agency or provider disputes the reviewer's characterization of events, where no independently verifiable fact is at issue;
The review is negative, critical, or damaging to reputation - without a specific, provable factual error;
The agency or provider believes the reviewer's opinion is unfair or exaggerated;
The review is anonymous or pseudonymous - anonymity alone is not grounds for removal;
The agency or provider has received legal advice suggesting the review may be actionable - legal threats directed at EMSGrades do not constitute grounds for removal and will be handled per Section 7;
The review is old - there is no expiration on legitimate reviews.
EMSGrades is not an arbiter of factual disputes between a reviewer and a reviewed party. Where a reviewer and an agency describe the same event differently and neither account is independently verifiable, we will not remove the review. The public is capable of evaluating competing accounts.
4. How to File a Dispute
To file a formal review dispute, email legal@emsgrades.com with the subject line "Review Dispute - [Your Agency/Provider Name]" and include the following:
The URL or direct link to the review you are disputing;
Your full name and role (agency owner, director, provider, authorized representative);
A clear, specific statement of why you believe the review violates our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service;
Any supporting documentation or evidence you wish us to consider (records, schedules, communications - do not include patient-identifying information);
Your contact email and phone number for follow-up.
Disputes submitted without the above information may not be processed. We are not able to investigate vague or general complaints - your dispute must identify the specific factual or policy violation you are alleging.
5. Our Review Process
Upon receiving a properly submitted dispute, our process is as follows:
Acknowledgment (guideline: within 21 days of receipt): We will confirm receipt of your dispute and assign it a reference number. Actual acknowledgment may occur sooner or later depending on dispute volume and complexity.
Initial review (guideline: within 30 days of acknowledgment): A member of the EMSGrades team will review the dispute against our Community Guidelines and the evidence provided. This timeline is a guideline only and may vary.
Reviewer notification: If the dispute raises a credible allegation, we may contact the reviewer to provide them an opportunity to respond or provide additional context. The reviewer's identity will not be disclosed to the disputing party.
Decision (guideline: within 30 days of initial review): We will notify you of our decision via email. Our decision will include a brief explanation of the outcome. This timeline is a guideline only and actual decisions may be reached sooner or later based on the complexity of the dispute and the volume of matters under review.
All timelines stated above are guidelines intended to set general expectations and do not constitute binding commitments. EMSGrades will make reasonable efforts to adhere to these guidelines but expressly reserves the right to take additional time as needed. We will endeavor to notify you if a significant delay is anticipated.
6. Possible Outcomes
Following our review, we may take any of the following actions:
No action: The review does not violate our Guidelines and will remain published as-is.
Content edit: A specific portion of the review that violates our Guidelines (e.g., HIPAA-protected information, personal identifying details) will be removed while the substantive review content remains.
Review removal: The review is found to clearly violate our Guidelines and will be removed from the Platform.
Account action: The reviewer's account may be suspended or terminated if the review is found to be part of a pattern of bad-faith conduct.
All decisions are made at EMSGrades' sole discretion. Our decision is final within this process.
7. Your Right to Respond Publicly
Regardless of the outcome of a formal dispute, agencies and providers with Silver, Gold, Diamond, or Enterprise subscriptions have the right to post a public response to any review on their profile. This response appears directly below the review and is visible to all users.
A well-crafted public response is often more effective than a dispute request. It demonstrates professionalism, provides your perspective, and shows the community that you take feedback seriously. We strongly encourage this approach.
Public responses are subject to our Community Guidelines. Responses that attack the reviewer, disclose private information, or contain prohibited content will be removed.
8. Escalation and Legal Notices
If you believe a review constitutes defamation or otherwise violates applicable law and you wish to pursue legal action, EMSGrades respects your right to do so. However:
Demand letters and legal threats sent to EMSGrades do not constitute a review dispute and will not trigger our dispute review process. They will be forwarded to our legal counsel.
EMSGrades asserts all applicable protections under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 47 U.S.C. § 230, with respect to third-party user content.
Subpoenas and valid legal process seeking reviewer identity information will be handled in accordance with applicable law and our Privacy Policy.
We will not voluntarily disclose reviewer identity information in response to demand letters, cease-and-desist letters, or informal legal threats - only in response to valid legal process.
Legal notices should be sent to: EMSGrades LLC 8735 Dunwoody Place, Suite 5999 Atlanta, GA 30350 legal@emsgrades.com
9. Disputes Filed by Individual Providers
Individual EMS providers who have a profile on EMSGrades and wish to dispute a review of their personal profile may use the same dispute process described in this policy by emailing legal@emsgrades.com.
The same standards apply - we will investigate disputes alleging specific factual falsehoods, prohibited content, or clear policy violations. We will not remove reviews simply because a provider disputes a reviewer's characterization of a clinical or professional interaction.
Providers are encouraged to use their public response right to provide context and their perspective on any review they believe is unfair.
Questions about this policy?
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this document, please contact us at:
legal@emsgrades.com EMSGrades LLC 8735 Dunwoody Place, Suite 5999 Atlanta, GA 30350