PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Medical Center Foundation has donated $170,000 to purchase a new cardiac ultrasound system, addressing the rising demand for critical diagnostic tests.

The donation, presented to OMC commissioners on Wednesday, will fund the hospital’s sixth cardiac ultrasound system and an echocardiogram table. Leonard M. Anderson, director of the OMC Heart Center, stated that this addition will reduce wait times and decrease the need for patients to travel outside the area for echocardiograms.

The OMC Heart Center currently performs 500 to 550 echocardiograms monthly, with demand increasing due to an aging population and more providers. The new equipment will enhance the center’s ability to provide timely care to the community.