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Notice of Privacy Practices

Patriot Emergency Medical Services, LLC Effective Date: April 20, 2026 Last Updated: April 20, 2026

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Patriot Emergency Medical Services, LLC ("Patriot EMS," "we," "us," or "our") is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations (together, "HIPAA") to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information, to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your Protected Health Information, to notify you following a breach of unsecured Protected Health Information, and to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect.

Protected Health Information (or "PHI") means information that identifies you or can reasonably be used to identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the provision of healthcare to you, or payment for that care.

This Notice applies to all records of your care that Patriot EMS generates, whether made by our employees, by a provider contracted with us, or received by us from another healthcare provider.

2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information

The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization. Not every use or disclosure in each category is listed, but all permissible uses and disclosures will fall within one of the categories.

2.1 For Treatment

We use and disclose PHI to provide you with medical transport and related care. This may include sharing information with the hospital or facility that is sending or receiving you, with the physicians and nurses involved in your care, with other EMS providers involved in your transport, and with any specialists or consultants we contact on your behalf. We may also share information with hospital discharge planners, dialysis clinic staff, nursing facility personnel, and other providers coordinating your care.

Example: If we transport you from a hospital to a skilled nursing facility, we will share your medical information and the patient care report with the receiving facility so that they can continue your care.

2.2 For Payment

We use and disclose PHI to bill and collect payment for the services we provide. This may include sharing information with your health insurance plan, Medicare (including Railroad Medicare), Medicaid, TRICARE, the Department of Veterans Affairs, workers' compensation carriers, the party responsible for payment, billing and collections services, and healthcare clearinghouses. We may also share information with a hospital or facility for purposes of coordinating billing and eligibility verification.

Example: We may send a claim to Medicare that includes your diagnosis, the transport origin and destination, and the services provided.

2.3 For Healthcare Operations

We use and disclose PHI for our healthcare operations, which include activities necessary to operate and improve our services. This may include quality assurance and improvement activities, clinical review of patient care reports, training of our staff and students, licensing and credentialing activities, business planning and management, and general administration.

Example: A supervisor may review the patient care report from your transport as part of our quality improvement program.

2.4 Other Permitted Uses and Disclosures

We may also use or disclose your PHI without your authorization in the following circumstances permitted by law:

  • Required by law. When a federal, state, or local law, regulation, or court order requires disclosure.
  • Public health activities. To prevent or control disease, to report reactions to medications or problems with products, to notify people of recalls, and to report births, deaths, and other vital statistics.
  • Health oversight activities. To government agencies authorized to conduct audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure actions.
  • Judicial and administrative proceedings. In response to a court order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, subject to applicable protections.
  • Law enforcement. To law enforcement officials in limited circumstances, including to identify a suspect, fugitive, or missing person, to report certain types of injuries, and in response to lawful requests.
  • Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors. To identify a deceased person or determine a cause of death, or to assist funeral directors in carrying out their duties.
  • Organ and tissue donation. To organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue procurement or transplantation.
  • Serious threats to health or safety. To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
  • Workers' compensation. To comply with laws relating to workers' compensation or similar programs.
  • Military and veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, as required by military command authorities.
  • Specialized government functions. For national security, intelligence, and protective services activities as authorized by law.
  • Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or in the custody of a law enforcement official, as permitted by law.
  • Business associates. To contractors and vendors who perform services on our behalf and who have signed agreements requiring them to safeguard your information.

2.5 Disclosures to Family, Friends, and Others Involved in Your Care

Unless you object, we may share PHI with a family member, friend, or other person you have identified as being involved in your care or payment for your care, to the extent it is directly relevant to that person's involvement. We may also share PHI to notify such a person about your location, general condition, or death. If you are present and able to make decisions, we will provide you with the opportunity to agree or object before making such a disclosure. If you are not present, are incapacitated, or in an emergency, we will use our professional judgment to determine whether a disclosure is in your best interest.

2.6 Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for any of the following:

  • Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, where applicable
  • Uses and disclosures for marketing purposes
  • Sales of PHI
  • Any other use or disclosure not described in this Notice or not otherwise permitted or required by law

You may revoke a written authorization at any time by submitting a written revocation to our Privacy Officer. A revocation will not affect any use or disclosure that was made before we received the revocation.

3. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Records Under 42 CFR Part 2

Patriot EMS does not provide substance use disorder treatment services and is not itself a federally assisted substance use disorder treatment program subject to 42 CFR Part 2. In the ordinary course of business, we do not receive records from Part 2 programs.

If we were to receive records from a Part 2 program, those records would be subject to additional privacy protections beyond those required by HIPAA. In particular, Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against the individual who is the subject of the records, except with that individual's written consent or pursuant to a court order that meets specific Part 2 requirements. We would handle any such records in accordance with the applicable requirements of Part 2 and HIPAA, and any person or entity receiving Part 2 records from us would be prohibited from redisclosing those records except as permitted by Part 2.

4. Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information

You have the following rights with respect to PHI we maintain about you. To exercise any of these rights, submit a written request to our Privacy Officer using the contact information in Section 10.

4.1 Right to Access and Obtain a Copy

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI held in a designated record set, including an electronic copy when we maintain the information electronically. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for the copies. We may deny your request in limited circumstances, and if we do, we will explain the reasons in writing and describe any rights you have to have the denial reviewed.

4.2 Right to Request an Amendment

If you believe PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we amend it. You must submit your request in writing and provide the reason for the requested amendment. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us, is not part of the designated record set, is not available for your inspection, or is already accurate and complete. If we deny your request, we will explain the reasons in writing and describe your right to submit a written statement of disagreement.

4.3 Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI. The accounting does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, disclosures made to you or pursuant to your authorization, or certain other disclosures. The accounting will cover up to the six years preceding your request. The first accounting in any 12-month period is free. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional accountings in the same 12-month period.

4.4 Right to Request Restrictions

You have the right to request that we restrict the way we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or to persons involved in your care. We are not required to agree to your requested restriction, except in one circumstance: if you pay for a service or item out of pocket in full, you may request that we not disclose PHI related solely to that service or item to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations purposes, and we will comply unless required by law to make the disclosure.

4.5 Right to Request Confidential Communications

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your PHI in a specific way or at a specific location. For example, you may request that we call you only at a specific phone number or send correspondence only to a specific address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

4.6 Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice

You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice on request, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

4.7 Right to Be Notified of a Breach

You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI.

4.8 Right to File a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with our Privacy Officer or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint. Complaints to HHS may be submitted to:

Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201 Phone: 1-800-368-1019 Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

5. Our Duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect. We are required to notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI.

6. Fundraising Communications

Patriot EMS does not engage in fundraising activities that involve the use or disclosure of PHI.

7. Marketing and Sale of PHI

We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes, and we will not sell your PHI, without your written authorization.

8. Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, and to make the new Notice provisions effective for all PHI we maintain, including information we created or received before the change. When we make a material change to this Notice, we will promptly post the revised Notice on our website at www.patriot-ems.com, make paper copies available at our offices, and provide the revised Notice to individuals on request.

9. Effective Date

This Notice is effective as of the date listed at the top of this document. It supersedes any prior Notice of Privacy Practices issued by Patriot EMS.

10. How to Contact Us

If you have questions about this Notice, want to exercise any of your rights described above, or wish to file a complaint, please contact:

Privacy Officer Patriot Emergency Medical Services, LLC

Rockmart Headquarters 67 New Street Rockmart, GA 30153

Sugar Hill Base 613 Buford Hwy NE, Suite 100F Sugar Hill, GA 30518

Phone: (404) 902-2628 Email: privacy@patriot-ems.com

This Notice of Privacy Practices is intended to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations at 45 CFR Part 164, and with the requirements of 42 CFR Part 2 as applicable.

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