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.
Reporting (prior, ongoing, or post-event) completed to manage attendees, staff, or volunteers and event operations is not an allowable use of SHIP funds.
Cost of paying screeners placed at facility entrance doors to protect patients and employees and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Costs associated with staff couriering COVID-19 tests to a laboratory.
Digital meeting technology software purchases to conduct digital/virtual meetings to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining physical distancing and reducing facility traffic.
Costs associated with increasing staff salaries, recruitment, retention, bonuses, incentives, or benefits such as hazard pay, employee childcare, housing allowances, travel allowances (not associated with COVID-19 courier services), meals, snacks, or other incentive benefits. See Screening Staff, Testing Staff, Courier Staff, or Travel Nurse for more information.
Costs associated with staff time spent on COVID-19 testing.
Costs associated with hiring, retaining, or relocating travel nurses or travel nurse services.
Costs associated with designing and implementing employee burnout/mental health strategies.
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.
Any kind of emergency alert systems fall under the category of telecommunication systems and are thus NOT an allowable use of SHIP funds.
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.
Upgrading or expanding for telemetry equipment as part of a larger COVID-19 mitigation strategy.