Queen's Health Systems is expanding emergency care on West Oahu, a welcome move for a fast-growing community that's been outpacing its current facilities.

• Crews placed the final structural beam on a new three-story building at the Queen's West Oahu campus in Ewa, marking a construction milestone.
• The expansion adds more emergency care spaces, more than doubling the current size of the emergency department.
• The new floors will also add inpatient beds, giving the hospital more room for patients who need to stay overnight.
• The growth is driven by rising demand — ER visits there have grown steadily each year for the past five years.
• The hospital says the project will also add better imaging equipment, aimed at getting patients diagnosed and treated faster.

Outlook: Construction continues with inpatient and emergency capacity expected to come online as the building is completed.