Peggy A. Randolph, a social worker in Florida, surrendered her license after an investigation revealed that her wife had been impersonating her and treating patients on an online mental health platform. Randolph worked for Brightside Health and provided services to numerous clients via video call. Following the death of her wife, a patient reported being treated by Randolph’s unlicensed deceased wife instead of Randolph herself, leading to an investigation by Brightside Health. It was discovered that Randolph’s wife had an “uncontrolled bipolar condition” and had been seeing patients using Randolph’s credentials. Randolph was subsequently fired and chose to retire her license. Brightside Health took various measures to address the situation, including notifying authorities, reimbursing affected patients, and conducting a security audit. The company confirmed that Randolph was an independent contractor and stated that it takes precautions such as interviews, background checks, and license verification for all healthcare professionals on its platform. The company expressed disappointment in Randolph’s actions, emphasizing the importance of trust in the patient-provider relationship. Brightside Health also reported a potential HIPAA violation and issued refunds for impacted sessions. Randolph agreed not to seek reinstatement of her license and was fined $1,000.
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