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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90 results found

COVID-19 Negative Pressure Spaces

Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Creating negative pressure spaces within common spaces (such as waiting rooms and bathrooms), or in rooms to treat COVID-19 positive patients.

Allowable investment

COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Devices for masks, fit testing masks, respirators, or other personal protective equipment used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Portable Equipment

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Portable equipment (such as a portable x-ray machine) used to prevent patients from being moved throughout a facility. To be allowable, all portable equipment must be part of a hospital's larger COVID-19 mitigation plan.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Proximity Badge Systems

COVID PO Pre-Approval
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with the purchase, maintenance, or operation of proximity badge systems to prevent hospital traffic and limit exposure to COVID-19.

Covid requires project officer pre-approval

COVID-19 Safe and Efficient Laboratories

Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Alterations and renovations that do not qualify as construction to update laboratories or other key spaces for safer and more efficient COVID-19 testing.

Allowable investment

COVID-19 Sanitation and Cleaning

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Sanitation and cleaning equipment (including disinfectant robots) to be used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Also includes ultraviolet sanitation devices.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Screening Staff

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Cost of paying screeners placed at facility entrance doors to protect patients and employees and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Simultaneous Multi-Disease Test

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs for testing using a simultaneous multi-disease test that must include COVID-19

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Staff Salary & Benefits

COVID Unallowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with increasing staff salaries, recruitment or retention bonuses, incentives, or benefits (such as hazard pay, employee childcare, housing allowances, travel allowance, meals, snacks, or other incentive benefits) recruitment, retention, bonuses, incentives, or benefits such as hazard pay, employee childcare, housing allowances, travel allowances (not associated with COVID-19 courier services), meals, snacks, or other incentive benefits. See Screening Staff, Testing Staff, Courier Staff, or Travel Nurse for more information.

Covid unallowable

COVID-19 Surface Renovations

Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Alterations and renovations that do not qualify as construction to update surfaces to more sanitary materials to mitigate COVID-19

Allowable investment

COVID-19 Telemetry

Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Upgrading or expanding for telemetry equipment as part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation strategy.

Allowable investment

COVID-19 Temperature Screening

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Temperature screening systems to be used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. See COVID-19 Screening Staff as well.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Temporary Structures

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Installing tents, sheds, or other temporary structures to use for COVID-19 testing or mitigation activities.

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Testing

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs for testing, including procuring, providing, or processing COVID-19 tests (including at-home testing kits).

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Testing Staff

COVID Allowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with staff time spent on COVID-19 testing. 

Covid allowable

COVID-19 Travel Nurse

COVID PO Pre-Approval
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with hiring, retaining, or relocating travel nurses or travel nurse services require pre-approval.

Covid requires project officer pre-approval

COVID-19 Vaccinations

COVID Unallowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Vaccine purchases, dissemination (including boosters) of vaccinations, or supplies associated with COVID-19 vaccination (considered direct patient care). 

Covid unallowable

COVID-19 Vehicles and Transportation

COVID PO Pre-Approval
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with the purchase, maintenance, or operation of any hospital vehicle require pre-approval.

Covid requires project officer pre-approval

COVID-19 Ventilators

COVID Unallowable
SHIP ARP COVID-19 Testing & Mitigation

Costs associated with purchasing, maintaining, or operating ventilators or other similar equipment which allows for respiratory assistance.

Covid unallowable

Credentialing (Definition)

Definition

Credentialing is defined as proving a skill or level of operation to provide evidence of authority, status, rights, entitlement or privileges, or the like. Credentialing and associated costs, such as renewing physician credentials for patient admittance, is an unallowable expense.

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

Direct Patient Care (Definition)

Definition

Direct patient care occurs when a facility, its providers, or staff, provide services (directly or indirectly) to diagnose, stabilize, treat, repair, maintain, or improve the health of a patient regardless of patient status (inpatient, outpatient, swing bed, SNF, etc.) or location (med/surgical, emergency room, waiting room, ambulatory, etc.,), and is an unallowable expense.

Example: Telehealth implementation is an approved SHIP expenditure. Purchasing software and training that will enable staff to receive readings from a Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuff is allowable under telehealth implementation, but the blood pressure cuff itself is unallowable. Training on how to use the blood pressure cuff on the patient is unallowable. 

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

Equipment (Definition)

Definition

Equipment is defined as a one-time purchase product used to perform or support a task. 

Patient Equipment: Fixed or mobile product to be used directly by a patient (for treatment or comfort) such as a whiteboard, Wi-Fi router, wheelchairs, or beds. This is an unallowable expense.

Medical Equipment: Fixed or mobile product to be used to diagnose, treat, and maintain a patient's health and wellbeing, whether in person or remotely via computer software. This is an unallowable expense.

Telehealth Equipment (Computer Hardware): Fixed or mobile products to support the integration and adoption of telehealth services within a facility. This is an allowable expense. See also: Hardware.

Training Equipment: Fixed or mobile products that will be used solely to support SHIP-approved training, such as a training crash cart. This is an allowable expense.

Office equipment: Fixed, mobile, or electronic equipment used solely to support day-to-day office operations. This is an unallowable expense.

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

Event Management

Unallowable

Updated January 2023

Event management software, hardware, or reporting that is completed to manage attendees, staff, or volunteers and event operations is not an allowable use of SHIP funds.

Unallowable investment

Fees and Fines

Unallowable

Updated January 2023

Fees and fines accrued in association with a service provided to the hospital, regardless of the SHIP-approval status, are not to be paid with SHIP funds.

Examples of unallowable fees include but are not limited to: 

Bank Service Fees Library Fees Penalty Fees
Insurance Fees Building Fines Violation Fines

Note that some costs are referred to as "fees" and may be allowable (like ACO Fees), fees in this context are subsidiary costs, the recurring cost for use of services, or lack thereof. 

Unallowable investment

Furniture (Defintion)

Definition

Furniture is defined as a one-time purchase product that is either fixed or moveable and required for the operation of an office, clinic, patient room, patient waiting room, or other facility space such as tables, chairs, stands, decorations, pictures, rugs, or curtains. Furniture expenses are unallowable.

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