Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi plans to increase its emergency treatment room capacity by 20 percent and about double the size of its women's center.

The 116-bed hospital said it will expand from 15 treatment rooms in its emergency department to 18 rooms in the next six months. Demand for its emergency room services has grown more than sixfold, rising from 500 patients a month in 1989 to more than 3,000 currently.

It also plans to increase the size of its women's center from the current 1,900 square feet over the next two years. The hospital said it will use existing open areas for the emergency department and women's center expansion.

SIGNATURE HOMES JOINS ERA BROKERAGE

Hawai'i-based J. Samuels Signature Homes has joined the ERA Franchise System's global network and will now operate as ERA Signature Homes.

Samuels Signature Homes has been in Hawai'i since 2002, while ERA has been around for 30 years and has 2,800 offices around the United States.

Another new brokerage, Ku Realty, is now open. The company was formed by Keahi Pelayo, who had been with RE/MAX for 15 years.

ST. FRANCIS HOSPICE AWARDED $50K GRANT

St. Francis Healthcare Foundation of Hawaii, a subsidiary of St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Atherton Family Foundation for the modernization of both St. Francis Hospice's in-patient facilities — the 12-bed Sister Maureen Keleher Center in Nu'uanu and the 24-bed Maurice Sullivan Family Hospice Center in 'Ewa Beach.

The money will help St. Francis buy the interactive LodgeNet patient entertainment/information system, upgrade kitchens, purchase new paintings, install video conference capabilities and new patient beds.

St. Francis Hospice, established in 1978, is Hawai'i's first and largest hospice program and the Atherton Family Foundation is one of Hawai'i's largest, endowed grant-making private resources for charitable causes.