Allowable Investments Search Tool

Identifying allowable investments for a SHIP-eligible hospital does not have to be a daunting task! This search tool created by SHIP-TA through the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy helps state coordinators and hospitals navigate the possibilities.
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6 results found

Conferences

PO Pre-Approval
Accountable Care Organization (ACO)
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Investment

Updated September 2023

Conferences may be allowable for hospital staff if most of the training sessions are within SHIP allowable investment categories. Costs for CMEs or CEUs or travel associated with the conference are unallowable. Project Officer approval is required for attendance. Please email the conference agenda along with session titles and corresponding SHIP categories to your Project Officer and ship-ta@ruralcenter.org.

Requires project officer pre-approval.

ICD-11

Allowable
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)

Updated September 2023

Activities that support ICD-11 readiness and/or implementation are allowable. This includes, but is not limited to:

Computer software upgrades to support a future transition to ICD-11 Computer hardware that improves quality, efficiencies, and/or coding Social Drivers of Health and Population Health training to use Z-Codes 
Efficiency or QI training to minimize ICD-11 transition impacts on patients and staff Revenue Cycle Management training Updating ICD-10 software or hardware
ICD-11 system and/or coding training (individual hospitals or state-wide) ICD-11 Implementation  

Note: This category is consistently under review, and we encourage SHIP Coordinators to email SHIP-TA@ruralcenter.org and copy your PO with questions or concerns.

See also: Subscription, Recurring Payment, Training (Hardware/Software/Services)

Allowable investment

Subscription (Definition)

Definition
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)

A subscription is defined as an arrangement to continually receive services for a preset price. Subscription services solely in support of SHIP-approved categories such as ICD software are allowable.

Please note that subscriptions to ongoing or on-demand training (at-will training) are unallowable expenses. Subscriptions that "happen to include" a SHIP-approved expenditure should be avoided. Subscriptions must be purchased and used for the SHIP-approved category. 

Examples of allowable expenses include but are not limited to:

SHIP Quality Reporting HCAHPS Quality Improvement Training
Telehealth Platforms (Excluding Provider Fees) Disease Registries Population Health Databases
ACO Subscriptions or Fees ICD-10/11 Software Subscriptions  

Note: A common example is ICD Software. Whereas a hospital purchased one program that could be downloaded to multiple computers (or server accessed), many ICD companies have now moved to cloud-based subscription services where the hospital pays a "per user" license. This specific example would be allowable under "Payment Bundling, A: ICD-10 Software."

This card is a definition to help users understand the application of SHIP spending categories and expenses. Definitions found in the SHIP Allowable Investment Search Tool may not be the same as the Federal Government's (or departments within) definition.

Definition

Subscriptions

Allowable
Accountable Care Organization (ACO)
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Investment

Updated January 2023

Subscriptions for products that provide critical services are becoming more prevalent in rural hospitals. 

Some subscriptions are allowable.

Examples of allowable expenses include but are not limited to:

SHIP Quality Reporting HCAHPS Quality Improvement Training
Telehealth Platforms (Excluding Provider Fees) Disease Registries Population Health Databases
ACO Subscriptions or Fees ICD-10/11 Software Subscriptions  

Note: A common example is ICD Software. Whereas a hospital purchased one program that could be downloaded to multiple computers (or server accessed), many ICD companies have now moved to cloud-based subscription services where the hospital pays a "per user" license. This specific example would be allowable under "Payment Bundling, A: ICD-10 Software."

 

 

Allowable investment

Training (Hardware/Software/Services)

Allowable
Accountable Care Organization (ACO)
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)
Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Investment

Updated August 4, 2022

Training concerning an approved SHIP category/sub-category is allowable. This includes costs associated with hardware, software, trainer (SME), and supplies (such as training manuals).

Training should not include tests, testing, certification, accreditation, credentialing, or any associated costs. Some training will conclude with a knowledge test for "training completion." This is allowable so long as it is not for certification, accreditation, or credentialing. 

Conference fees need to be pre-approved by a PO. Please send the request with a copy (or link) of the conference agenda to your PO and SHIP-TA. 

Examples of allowable training expenses include but are not limited to: 

Provider-Based Clinic Quality Measure Training CPOE Implementation Training Alternative Payment Model Training
Quality Payment Program Training Disease Registry Training Population Health Training
Social Determinants of Health Screening Training Systems Performance Training in Support of ACO or Shared Savings Initiatives Mobile Health and Telehealth Software Training 
Community Paramedicine Hardware and Software Health Information Technology Training for VBP and ACO ICD-10 Software and Training
S-10 Cost Report Training Price Transparency Training 340B Drug Pricing program Training
Billing and Coding Training Strategic Planning Development and Implementation Mid-Level Manager Training
Value Based Care    

Supplies associated with training(s) are allowable. Such supplies may include, but are not limited to, staff-use training whiteboards, training manuals, training books, training modules, and other necessary-to-the-efficiency supplies. 

Note: Training for direct-patient care is unallowable. Examples of unallowable training would be CPR training, wound care, medical treatments, and training on medical equipment. It is important to note that medical or direct-patient care training that benefits a SHIP category (such as patient safety) is still unallowable.

Allowable investment

Voice Recognition System for Dictation

Allowable
Payment Bundling (PB)/Prospective Payment System (PPS)

Voice recognition system for dictation to support increased quality, efficiency, and/or coding is an allowable use of SHIP funds.

Allowable investment