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.
Education/training for provider-based rural health clinic quality improvement reporting, including patient satisfaction survey scores, is allowable.
Any training to support coding and reimbursement, documentation, or documentation improvements that result in increased coding compliance are allowable.
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.
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.
iPads/Tablets to be used for patient care surveys are not an allowable use of SHIP funds. In general, iPads and tablets to be used by patients and non-hospital staff are unallowable.
Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys completed for inpatient services are an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Whiteboards used in conjunction with training for quality improvement are an allowable use of SHIP funds.
NOTE: Apart from training, whiteboards are not an allowable cost.
Example of an allowable use of funds: If hospitals are doing a training on efficient and effective rounding, and part of that training requires the use of a whiteboard for implementing the rounding process and improving the quality and efficiency of providers and staff.
Costs for testing, including procuring, providing, or processing COVID-19 tests (including at-home testing kits).
Costs for testing using a simultaneous multi-disease test that must include COVID-19
Supporting EMS as it relates to COVID-19 testing and mitigation efforts, and as part of a system improvement process
Alterations and renovations that do not qualify as construction to update laboratories or other key spaces for safer and more efficient COVID-19 testing.
Installing tents, sheds, or other temporary structures to use for COVID-19 testing or mitigation activities.
Devices for masks, fit testing masks, respirators, or other personal protective equipment used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Covid-19 related education materials (including vaccination education materials) for dissemination to the public.
Laboratory supplies and equipment for COVID-19 testing.
Electronic health record (EHR) costs supportive of COVID-19 testing and mitigation.
Costs associated with staff time spent on COVID-19 testing.