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 or fees used to coordinate a mentorship program, training or educational event do not qualify as a SHIP Allowable Investment.
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.
Voice recognition system for dictation to support increased quality, efficiency, and/or coding is an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Types of Remote pharmacy machines are an allowable SHIP hardware purchase for pharmacy services.
NOTE: Pharmacist services or medications are not allowable.
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
HIT hardware, software, and training are allowable uses of SHIP funds. Through SHIP, it would also be beneficial to include risk assessments and/or trainings associated with cybersecurity.