Peggy A. Randolph, a licensed clinical social worker in Florida, surrendered her license after an investigation found that her wife had impersonated her and treated patients on an online mental health platform. Randolph’s wife, who was unlicensed and deceased, treated patients over the phone while Randolph provided services in person. When a patient reported the situation to Brightside Health, the company launched an investigation and ultimately fired Randolph. The company reimbursed impacted patients, reassigned them to new healthcare professionals, and reported the case to federal authorities and licensing boards. Additionally, Brightside Health conducted a security audit and notified patients and insurers of potential HIPAA violations.
Randolph’s wife’s actions were a breach of the company’s contract and a violation of professional ethics. Randolph agreed not to reinstate her license and pay a civil penalty. Brightside Health, as well as other mental health platforms, takes precautions such as interviews, background checks, and license verification to prevent such situations. The company issued refunds for potentially related sessions affected by the impersonation and implemented measures to ensure the security and trust of patients in the future. The company expressed disappointment in Randolph’s actions and emphasized the importance of trust in the patient-provider relationship in both telehealth and in-person care.
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