The bone-anchored hearing systems are surgically implanted devices. They treat hearing loss through bone conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear, in contrast to regular hearing aids, which amplify acoustic sounds that enter the ear canal. For this reason, bone-anchored systems are considered specialty devices for certain hearing loss conditions. Patients with severe damage to the sensory cells in the inner ear, a Cochlear implant is often the best option for better hearing. These tiny, complex medical devices work differently than hearing aids. Rather than amplifying sound, which helps an individual with residual hearing ability, a cochlear implant provides the sense of sound by stimulating the auditory nerve directly. Cochlear implants do not cure hearing loss or restore hearing, but they do provide an opportunity for the severely hard of hearing or deaf to perceive the sensation of sound by bypassing the damaged inner ear. Cochlear Americas Baha implant System is a device that are designed to help severely to profoundly deaf adults and children who get little or no benefit from hearing aids. Cochlear Americas Baha implant in known as a bone-anchored hearing aid which is a type of hearing aid based on bone conduction. The bone-anchored hearing systems are surgically implanted devices. They treat hearing loss through bone conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear?in contrast to regular hearing aids, which amplify acoustic sounds that enter the ear canal. For this reason, bone-anchored systems are considered specialty devices for certain hearing loss conditions. It is primarily suited for people who have conductive hearing losses, unilateral hearing loss, single-sided deafness and people with mixed hearing losses who cannot otherwise wear 'in the ear' or 'behind the ear' hearing aids.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for medical supplies or medical services necessary for the delivery of care and treatment at medical, dental, or veterinary teaching facilities utilized by SIU or U of I (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b-5)) Cochlear Americas Cochlear device implants are used in direct patient care service. Without access to these specific supplies the hospital would not be able to offer surgical procedures and care, which in turn would drive patients else where and a loss in revenue to the hospital.