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.
Costs associated with completing outpatient (i.e. ambulatory surgery, emergency department, medical practice, outpatient services) surveys do not qualify as a SHIP allowable investment.
Surveys completed for medical clinics, ambulatory services, emergency room, specialty clinics, home health, and other outpatient services are NOT an allowable use of SHIP funds. This includes OAS-CAHPS and CG CAHPS.
Education/training for provider-based rural health clinic quality improvement reporting, including patient satisfaction survey scores, is allowable.
Training, hardware, and software that supports remote pharmacy services are allowable.
Last Updated 12/10/2021
Educational training hardware and software to support the development and implementation of a disease registry for care coordination is allowable.
Many programs that were previously single purchase software are now cloud-based computer programs and the fee allows sharing with other providers. Language supporting this can be found at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Please see ACO section C for additional resources.
Training hardware or software that supports the application and implementation of telehealth and/or telemedicine is an allowable investment.
If the hospital and/or hospital-owned ambulance unit has a formal Community Paramedic Program (CPP), hardware and software to support the CPP to reduce emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency department misuse and readmissions are allowable investments. However, the use of SHIP funding for general EMS equipment is not an allowable investment.
Health Information Technology (HIT) Training for Value and ACOs is an allowable investment. SHIP covers hardware, software, and training; therefore, it would be beneficial to include risk assessments and/or training associated with cybersecurity. These are allowable investments.
Any training that updates and computerizes hospital policies and procedures, assessment and maintenance of ICD-10, and hardware/software investments that improve quality, efficiencies, and coding are allowable investments.
Types of Remote pharmacy machines are an allowable SHIP hardware purchase for pharmacy services.
NOTE: Pharmacist services or medications are not allowable.
Costs associated with the permanent installation of internet hardware are not an allowable use of SHIP funds.
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.
Voice recognition system for dictation to support increased quality, efficiency, and/or coding is an allowable use of SHIP funds.
After hours pharmacy services software apps that help support remote pharmacy services are an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Note: Pharmacist services or medications are not allowable
Library fees and services that are used strictly for training access or material and not ongoing operational access can be an allowable use of SHIP funds but requires PO approval.