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.
Expenses incurred by hospital staff to travel to meetings or training such as mileage, food, per diem, lodging, and airfare do not qualify as a SHIP allowable investment.
Travel and lodging fees for contractors to get to a SHIP training can be covered. The hospital or network should request an invoice with all related training fees (including time, travel, and lodging) bundled as one single deliverable.
NOTE: SHIP Guidance doesn't approve travel for hospitals and state offices.
Costs associated with hiring, retaining, or relocating travel nurses or travel nurse services.
Costs associated with the purchase, maintenance, or operation of any hospital vehicle.
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.
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.