Continental Exquisites LLC — D/B/A Continental Medical Cleaning & Supplies
670 Horace Crow Drive, Suite E · Clarksville, TN 37043
info@continentalmedical.net · (931) 444-3335 · Fax: (931) 225-4944 · EIN: 33-1540985
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.
Continental Exquisites LLC is a Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) supplier and a covered entity under HIPAA. This Notice explains our legal obligations and your rights with respect to protected health information (PHI).
§ 01 — Who We Are & Our Legal Duty
Continental Exquisites LLC d/b/a Continental Medical Cleaning & Supplies is a Medicare-enrolled DMEPOS supplier. As a covered entity under HIPAA, we are required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of your protected health information
- Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
- Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
- Notify you in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI
The current version of this Notice is always available at continentalmedical.net/policies/hipaa. You may request a paper copy at any time by calling (931) 444-3335.
§ 02 — What Is Protected Health Information (PHI)?
PHI is individually identifiable health information in any form — paper, electronic, or oral — that relates to your physical or mental health condition, the provision of health care, or payment for health care. Examples of PHI we may collect include:
§ 03 — How We May Use Your PHI Without Your Authorization
HIPAA permits us to use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes without your written authorization:
| Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Sharing diagnosis and physician orders with delivery technicians; coordinating with your referring physician; contacting you about supply refills. |
| Payment | Submitting Medicare/Medicaid/commercial insurance claims; verifying eligibility; processing co-insurance; coordinating with Medicare MACs and QIOs. |
| Healthcare Operations | Quality improvement reviews; staff training; compliance audits; Business Associate activities with suppliers under signed BAAs. |
| Required by Law | Court orders, subpoenas, government investigations; reporting to public health authorities; providing records to CMS, OIG, or DME MAC. |
| Health Oversight | Inspections, audits, and investigations by CMS, HHS, or the Tennessee Department of Health. |
| Serious Threat to Health/Safety | Preventing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety of you or the public. |
| Business Associates | Sharing minimum necessary PHI with HIPAA Business Associates under signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). |
§ 04 — When Your Written Authorization Is Required
The following uses and disclosures require your written authorization:
- Marketing materials or communications
- Sale of your PHI
- Psychotherapy notes (except in limited circumstances)
- Research purposes (unless approved through a waiver process)
- Any use or disclosure not described in § 03 or § 05 of this Notice
You have the right to revoke any written authorization at any time in writing, except where we have already acted in reliance on that authorization.
§ 05 — Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
| Your Right | Description |
|---|---|
| Right to Access | Inspect and receive a copy of your PHI. We will respond within 30 days. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply for copies. |
| Right to Amend | Request amendment of inaccurate or incomplete PHI. We may deny the request if the record was not created by us or is accurate and complete. |
| Right to an Accounting | Request a list of disclosures we have made of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. Covers 6 years. |
| Right to Restrict | Request restrictions on certain uses/disclosures. We must honor your request if you are paying out-of-pocket and request non-disclosure to your insurer. |
| Right to Confidential Communications | Request that we communicate with you through a specific method or at a specific location. We will accommodate reasonable requests. |
| Right to a Copy of This Notice | Request a paper copy at any time by calling (931) 444-3335. |
| Right to Electronic Access | Request an electronic copy of your PHI in a designated format if maintained in an electronic health record. |
| Right to Breach Notification | Be notified in writing within 60 days of discovering a breach of your unsecured PHI. |
§ 06 — How We Protect Your PHI
Administrative Safeguards
- HIPAA Privacy and Security Policies & Procedures
- Workforce training on PHI handling
- Designated Privacy Officer
- Business Associate Agreements with all vendors
- Minimum necessary access controls
Physical Safeguards
- Locked file storage for paper PHI
- Secured business premises
- Controlled access to PHI storage areas
- Workstation use policies
Technical Safeguards (ePHI)
- Encrypted transmission (TLS/SSL)
- Password-protected systems with access logging
- Secure email for PHI communications
- Encrypted data storage
- HTTPS encryption for online referral forms
§ 07 — Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI, we will notify you in writing within 60 days of discovering the breach. The notification will describe:
- What PHI was involved and what happened
- Our investigation and mitigation efforts
- Steps you can take to protect yourself
We will also notify the HHS Secretary. If a breach affects 500 or more individuals, we are required by the HITECH Act to notify prominent media outlets serving the affected area.
§ 08 — How to File a HIPAA Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Continental Medical Privacy Officer
Marianne S. Wambo Yamdjeu, Owner/Privacy Officer
670 Horace Crow Drive, Suite E
Clarksville, TN 37043
(931) 444-3335
Fax: (931) 225-4944
info@continentalmedical.net
HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
200 Independence Ave, S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
1-800-368-1019 · TTY: 1-800-537-7697
File online at ocrportal.hhs.gov
§ 09 — Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. Changes will apply to all PHI we maintain, including information received before the change. The current Notice will always be posted at continentalmedical.net/policies/hipaa. You may request a paper copy by calling (931) 444-3335.
Contact Our Privacy Officer
Marianne S. Wambo Yamdjeu — Owner / Privacy Officer, Continental Exquisites LLC
(931) 444-3335·Fax: (931) 225-4944