Nearly a month after Wynn Hospital in Utica stopped cardiac surgeries, health officials said they have enlisted the help of an outside firm to conduct a review of the program that will take more than a month more.

Wynn Hospital, which opened last fall, stopped open heart surgeries on May 8 after the state Department of Health "expressed concern" during an on-site visit last month.

CEO Darlene Stromstad said in a statement this week that the hospital continues to recruit cardiac surgeons for its open heart program. 

Other cardiac services and procedures at Wynn Hospital have continued, including stents, angioplasties, cardiac catheterizations and minimally invasive cardiac procedures, as well as thoracic surgeries.

"We remain steadfast in our commitment to the cardiac surgery program and I am very encouraged by the activity I am seeing," Stromstad said.

Patients who require open heart surgery will be transferred to a hospital with a higher level of care, according to a statement issued in May.