Allowable Investments Search Tool
In general, SHIP allowable investments include activities to assist small rural hospitals with their quality improvement efforts and with their adaptation to changing payment systems through investments in hardware, software and related trainings. This includes aiding with value and quality improvement.
Unallowable investments include, but are not limited to, travel costs, hospital services, hospital staff salaries, or general supplies. Hospitals should contact their State Office of Rural Health (SORH) with questions regarding the appropriateness or fit of a certain activity or hardware/software purchase. For additional clarifications, refer to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
This tool classifies a number of example investment activities as Allowable, Unallowable, or PO Pre-Approval. This is not a comprehensive list. It is only intended to provide examples of allowable SHIP activities.
Voice recognition system for dictation to support increased quality, efficiency, and/or coding is an allowable use of SHIP funds.
State Offices of Rural Health (SORHs) need to provide justification of how telehealth network fits or aligns with SHIP purpose and intent. Telemedicine provider salaries, such as a telepsychiatry consult, do not qualify as a SHIP allowable investment.
Training hardware or software that supports the application and implementation of telehealth and/or telemedicine is an allowable investment.
Carts used to support the application and implementation of telehealth that are used by hospital staff to improve operational efficiencies are an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Stethoscopes that are manual, Bluetooth enabled, or telehealth purposed are not an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Education/training for provider-based rural health clinic quality improvement reporting, including patient satisfaction survey scores, is allowable.
Mobile language line workstations, iPads, and tablets can potentially be allowable SHIP investments if used by hospital staff to support operational efficiency and increase equitable patient satisfaction.
Note: These investments require Project Officer pre-approval. If a hospital is interested in this investment, the State SHIP coordinator should email their project officer with justification of how these services will support operational efficiency and increase equitable patient satisfaction.
Portable equipment (such as a portable x-ray machine) that is used to prevent patients from being moved throughout a facility and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Costs associated with purchasing, maintaining, or operating ventilators or other similar equipment which allows for respiratory assistance (considered direct patient care).
A 340B Drug Pricing Program training intended to increase efficiency or quality improvement in support of Prospective Bundling and Prospective Payment Systems initiatives is an allowable investment.
Cost of paying screeners placed at facility entrance doors to protect patients and employees and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Costs associated with the purchase, maintenance, or operation of proximity badge systems to prevent hospital traffic and limit exposure to COVID-19.