Doctor Accused of Sexually Abusing Patients to Stop Practicing : Lancaster: Gynecologist Ziyad Ghabra awaits medical board decision on revoking his license. He will stand trial this month on criminal charges involving two women.

A Lancaster doctor accused of sexually abusing six women in his office since 1986 agreed Tuesday to stop practicing medicine until the state medical board makes a final decision on whether to revoke his medical license.

The agreement between Dr. Ziyad A. Ghabra and the state attorney general’s office prevents Ghabra from treating patients or performing other medical tasks in the meantime. A licensing decision by the Medical Board of California is expected next spring.

The 40-year-old obstetrician and gynecologist is scheduled to stand trial later this month in Lancaster Superior Court on criminal charges stemming from his alleged advances toward two of the six women. He remains free pending a Nov. 16 court hearing.

Ghabra’s agreement to temporarily stop practicing medicine forestalled a hearing Tuesday before an administrative-law judge in Los Angeles on the medical board’s request to immediately suspend his license. “The practical effect is the same,” Judge Ralph Dash said.

However, during talks in Dash’s court before the agreement, Ghabra’s attorney said he did not want publicity over a suspension order to precede Ghabra’s criminal trial. And attorney Herbert Selwyn said the doctor has a back injury that has prevented him from working anyway.

In a filing with Dash’s court, Deputy Atty. Gen. Jaime Roman, representing the Medical Board of California, said Ghabra “has a sexual abuse problem which he cannot control” and “practices medicine in a manner in which no female patient is safe.”

The medical board has accused Ghabra of sexually abusing four female patients, one employee and one visitor to his office between 1986 and June, 1992. His alleged actions include fondling, kissing and grabbing women, and repeatedly having sex with one patient.

In the criminal case, Ghabra is charged with felony sexual battery and false imprisonment for allegedly fondling the woman visitor June 15. He also is charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly rubbing against a pregnant patient on June 2.

Ghabra faces a maximum of five years in state prison if convicted on the criminal charges, prosecutors said. The most the medical board can do is revoke Ghabra’s license, although he could apply to regain the license after three years, a board spokeswoman said.

An administrative-law judge is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the medical board’s case against Ghabra in January. After that, the medical board has several months to make a final decision.

Ghabra previously was convicted of misdemeanor battery for fondling another patient in 1986.