Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program is sponsored by HRSA. Provides funding to small rural hospitals to improve quality of care and financial and operational performance.

Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) | National Rural Health Resource Center The country’s small rural hospitals — the more than 1,600 hospitals with fewer than 50 staffed beds — serve as key health care access points for millions of Americans. They’re trusted community resources.

But these facilities also face challenges in the rapidly changing health care landscape, including challenges in participating in value-based payment programs and in care delivery.

The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP), supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), annually provides states with funding to help their small rural hospitals meet value-based payment and care goals through investments in hardware, software, and training.

SHIP funds, which are directed through each hospital’s State Office of Rural Health (SORH), can also be used by hospitals to become or join accountable care organizations; to participate in shared savings programs; and to purchase health information technology, equipment, and training to comply with quality improvement activities.

The National Rural Health Resource Center’s SHIP Technical Assistance Team , which is supported through a cooperative agreement with FORHP, provides SORHs and their state’s rural hospitals with the education, tools, and grant guidance needed to navigate SHIP guidelines and reporting requirements. For more information or for additional support, please contact the SHIP Technical Assistance Team at ship-ta@ruralcenter. org .

SHIP Technical Assistance Team Director of Population Health The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided financial support for this Information Services to Rural Hospital Flexibility Project. The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $1,100,000. The contents are those of the author.

They may not reflect the policies of HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. As a technical assistance provider to rural health care organizations, the National Rural Health Resource Center provides access to a wide range of resources on relevant topics.

Inclusion on the National Rural Health Resource Center’s webpage or presentations does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with, the contents by the National Rural Health Resource Center or the Health Resources and Services Administration.