Doctor who treated mentally ill dies

Wednesday, March 1, 2006 | 7:14 a.m.

Born: July 14, 1931, in Philadelphia.

Education: Graduated from Central High School (Philadelphia); bachelor of arts degree from Penn State; medical degree from Jefferson Medical College (Philadelphia)

Survivors: His wife of 43 years, Joann; four daughters, Robin Ficklin, Pamela Orchow, Lori Orchow Haney and Lisa Orchow, all of Las Vegas; a son, Stephen Kominsky of Maryland; a sister, Elaine Eberts of Las Vegas; and 11 grandchildren.

Services: None, per his request.

Dr. Harold "Hal" Orchow, a past president of the Nevada Psychiatric Association who for 20 years was director of medical services at the private Montevista Hospital, died Saturday after an eight-month battle with an inoperable brain tumor. He was 74.

"Hal embodied everything that was good about psychiatric care in Nevada and was at the forefront of Nevada psychology," said Dr. Lynn Horne, medical director of Redrock Hospital, who serves on the staff at Montevista and worked with Orchow for 19 years.

"His patients loved him. His colleagues respected him. And both trusted Hal's judgment. He was intelligent and compassionate."

In 1985, Orchow, a Las Vegas resident of 45 years, helped open Montevista Hospital to treat the mentally ill. There he started a program for electroconvulsive therapy, a modern electric shock treatment for depression, and also established the child and adolescent care units.

Orchow also started the chemical dependency program and recruited Horne, who under Orchow's direction started treatment for compulsive eating disorders.

Orchow resigned from Montevista in June and retired after being diagnosed with the tumor.

Orchow's family said donations can be made to the Hal Orchow Memorial Fund to benefit the Las Vegas International Scouting Museum at 2915 W. Charleston Blvd., No. 4, Las Vegas, NV 89102, or to the Brain Tumor Society at tbts.org.

Ed Koch can be reached at 259-4090 or at koch@lasvegassun.com.