Privacy Policy
1. Introduction & Compliance
This Privacy Policy outlines how ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd (we, us, our) collects, stores, uses, and discloses personal and health information. ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd coordinates Independent Medical Examination (IME) and psychiatric medico-legal assessments by contracted psychiatrists.
ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd (“ZK Medicolegal,” “ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd,” “we,” “us,” “our”) recognises the importance of your privacy. We are committed to managing personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), along with relevant professional and ethical obligations in the medico‑legal sector.
2. Our Role and Contractor Psychiatrists
We operate as a coordination and administrative entity for Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) and psychiatric medico-legal assessments. The psychiatrists who carry out assessments are independent contractors (subcontractors).
Each psychiatrist is responsible for creating and maintaining their own clinical notes and assessment records. These contractors must secure their records and manage any direct access or correction requests for their own assessment materials. ZK Medicolegal itself does not hold raw clinical notes or drafts; we only retain documents necessary for administrative coordination, reporting, and financial handling.
3. What Information We Collect
To deliver our services effectively, we collect and retain only the data strictly necessary. This includes referral and booking details, instructions, consent forms, and correspondence; documentation submitted for assessments (e.g., prior reports, claim files) and the final report delivered to the referrer; personal identifiers such as name, contact details (address, phone, email), date of birth, claim file numbers, when provided by referrers or examinees; financial and transactional details for invoicing, payments, and remittance; website interaction data (cookies, IP address, browser type) for analytics and improving user experience. We do not collect or retain psychiatrists’ working notes, drafts, or raw clinical data.
4. How We Collect Information
We obtain personal and health-related information through direct submissions from referrers (insurers, legal firms, government bodies, DVA advocates, etc) when arranging IMEs; examination candidates via consent forms and communications; subcontractor psychiatrists when they deliver final reports or invoices; website interactions (online forms, cookies, analytics tools, etc). If we receive information from third parties, we will protect that data in accordance with this policy.
5. How We use Information
We use collected information only for purposes aligned with our coordination role, including scheduling and coordinating assessments; passing essential documentation to the assessing psychiatrist; delivering the final report to the referrer; invoicing, collecting payments, and remitting to subcontractors; conducting audits, regulatory compliance, and recordkeeping; responding to queries and fulfilling any legal or administrative obligations.
6. Disclosure of Information
We may disclose your personal or health information under the following circumstances; to the referrer or instructing entity (e.g., insurer, legal office, DVA) under authorized instructions; to the psychiatrist subcontractor for the purpose of assessment; to third-party service providers (IT, transcription, secure storage, data processing) bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations; where required by law, or in cases of serious threat to health, life, or legal obligation; in the event ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd is merged or sold, to a successor entity under confidentiality terms. We will only share data to the extent needed and with appropriate safeguards.
7. Security and Storage
We implement appropriate technical and administrative safeguards to protect your information, including but not limited to access control, password protection, and secure backups for electronic records; locked storage for any hard copy documents; restricted access based on essential needs; privacy and security obligations in our contracts with third‑party service providers. While we strive for strong protection, we cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted over the internet.
8. Retention and Deletion
We retain records for the period required by law, professional standards, or business necessity, after which we securely delete or destroy them. Psychiatrist subcontractors manage retention of their own clinical records under their professional obligations.
9. Access and Correction
You may request access to personal data held by ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd (e.g. referral documents, reports). Requests should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer. Requests to access or correct assessment notes or drafts should be addressed to the individual psychiatrist who performed the assessment. We will verify your identity before granting access and may refuse access in certain lawful circumstances (e.g. confidentiality constraints).
10. Telehealth Consultations
For telehealth services, we use secure, encrypted platforms. Patients are responsible for ensuring they have a private location for their consultation.
11. Website, Cookies and Links
When you visit our website, we may collect technical data (browser, OS, URL referrer, IP address) for analytics. We use cookies to improve user experience; you may disable cookies via browser settings (though this may reduce functionality). Our site may contain links to external websites; we are not responsible for their privacy practices and encourage users to review their policies.
12. Complaints and Contact
If you believe your privacy has been breached, please raise a complaint with us via email at admin@zkmedicolegal.com.au. We will respond promptly and fairly.
13. Policy Updates
We may revise this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect changes in law, business, or technology. The updated policy will be published on our website with a new effective date.
14. Contact Details
ZK Medicolegal Pty Ltd
Email: admin@zkmedicolegal.com.au
Website: www.zkmedicolegal.com.au