Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound has given the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation a $55,000 grant to purchase an anesthesia machine for Whidbey General Hospital.

Though the hospital’s current equipment is in excellent operating condition, it has been scheduled for replacement when GE maintenance support expires later this year.

In its place, the foundation will purchase a new, state-of-the-art GE Healthcare anesthesia machine.

“An anesthesia machine is a complex medical device whose main function is gas blending to obtain an appropriate level of anesthesia during surgery,” said Katherine Carr, Associate Director of Surgical Services. “However, it also doubles as a life support system if a patient loses the ability to breathe spontaneously.”

The purchase will allow the hospital to more effectively administer anesthesia to its patients.

“The new Datex-Ohmeda

Aestive 57100 with the Cardiocop 5 Monitor will allow anesthesiologists to move from room to room seamlessly, using similar equipment in each room for each patient,” said Dr. Chris Outlund, Medical Director of Surgical Services. “This will not only allow us to be more efficient but increase the safety of patients.”

Grants like the one from Boeing allow the hospital to stretch its limited budgets for new equipment.

“We are grateful for the support from the Boeing Employees Community Fund at Boeing,” Outlund said.