A new multi-million dollar wing at Moanalua Medical Center is set to open to patients next month.

At a time when many Hawaii hospitals are cutting services, it's expanding.

Kaiser's Moanalua Medical Center, built in 1985 was bursting at the seams.

"We do about 33-thousand emergency department visits per year which is a high volume for us so we needed the space" says Executive Medical Director Geoff Sewell.

The new 141-million dollar wing supersizes space.

The six-story expansion adds 176-thousand square feet, with 8 additional operating rooms, 68 more patient beds, and expanded mother and baby suites.

"Our Emergency Department has almost tripled in size and almost doubled the number of rooms" says Sewell.

The biggest changes are in the operating room, where new technology assists Doctors.

"They've got new technology that allows more procedural things to be in the room so that members can have surgeries done that require more procedures, but with smaller incisions so they can get back to work and thrive sooner" adds Sewell.

For instance, flat screen TV's that can be life-saving tools, when every minute counts.

Sewell explains "flat panels so you can not only see x-rays digitally, but you can see electronic medical record if you have any questions."

Work on the new wing began three years ago, but planning began in 2001.

This project is part of a larger expansion for Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, and comes during its 50th anniversary, a time of growth on Oahu and the Neighbor Islands.

The Medical Director expects to grow in staffing as well to meet needs.

The Emergency Department will open first in Mid-May.

Other services will follow as the facility links up to the old hospital.