CA Psychiatrist Andrew Abarbanel Surrenders Medical License for Excessive Prescribing, Negligence, etc.

February 19, 2020

On November 8, 2019, psychiatrist Andrew Abarbanel, of Soquel, California, surrendered his medical license to the Medical Board of California.

Dr. Abarbanel, a 1978 graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine, surrendered following an Accusation issued by the Board on September 26, 2019, which alleged acts and omissions constituting gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, failure to maintain adequate records, incompetence, and excessive prescribing in regards to four patients – one of whom hanged herself and another who attempted suicide.

Dr. Abarbanel had previously been disciplined by the Board for similar reasons: In October 2011, the Board placed his license on three years’ probation for gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, documentation failures, excessive prescribing, and prescribing without an appropriate prior examination and medical indication, involving his treatment of four patients.

Source: Stipulated Surrender of License and Order in the Matter of the Accusation Against Andrew Michael Abarbanel, M.D., Physician’s and Surgeon’s Certificate No. G 47490, Case No. 800-2016-027720, Medical Board of California, November 1, 2019 and Stipulated Settlement and Disciplinary Order in the Matter of the Accusation Against Andrew Michael Abarbanel, M.D., Physician’s and Surgeon’s Certificate No. G 47490, Case No. 03-2009-201966, Medical Board of California, September 29, 2011.