SHIPTools is designed to be a web based management system that SHIPs can use as they see fit. This means that you pay a licensing fee to use SHIPTools and you get all or part of the system depending on your SHIP program's needs and wants. Functionality within SHIPTools can be turned on and off accordingly.

SHIPTools pricing is based on a licensing fee that allows a program access for their users for a one year timeframe. This licensing fee is based on a sliding-scale that corresponds to the amount of effort involved in site administration and maintenance. HAP secures philanthropy to offer SHIPTools at a considerably reduced rate to SHIPs based on this sliding scale. SHIPTools pricing is not based on access to functionality because HAP wants a way to make improvements and new developments of SHIPTools to be as widely available as possible when for example, HAP is able to secure foundation funding to develop new ways for the system to help meet SHIP needs.

Pricing for SHIPTools is set on a 12 month basis that follows the SHIP grant year. Pricing may change from year to year as HAP explores its ability to secure foundation support for subsidizing the use of SHIPtools. Should pricing for SHIPTools change, programs will be notified 60 days in advance of the end of their licensing agreement.

The licensing fee covers system maintenance and hosting charges, bug fixes, training, and project management.

Under the licensing fee HAP staff meet regularly with designated point people in each SHIP program. On a monthly basis HAP asks the SHIP program to choose their top three priorities for changes that they would like to see within SHIPTools. Each month HAP then tries to work those top three priorities into the development schedule. Special emphasis is given to those requests that can benefit all SHIPs using SHIPTools but in some cases, the requests are unique to a program's implementation of SHIPtools, given its structure and operating procedures. HAP is generally able to honor a SHIP program's top three requests each month, provided they are not significant technical development. These monthly releases are included in the licensing fee and are why HAP is able to say that SHIPTools is designed by SHIPs for SHIPs.

The licensing fee is the annual cost for using the SHIPTools application. In the first year it also includes the site setup. There are no additional site setup costs or extra first year costs unless a SHIP wants a nonstandard SHIPTools implementation (defined as significant changes to the fields and functionality displayed on the Demo site) or the program is interested in migrating data from another system. Any additional fees would be determined through free consultations with HAP staff to better understand a program's needs and expectations.

The need for SHIPTools came out of three previous web-based initiatives that HAP was working on with Iowa and Ohio SHIP programs. During the pilot phases for these separate initiatives, there was a lot of crossover with regards to the functionality of these different initiatives, such as with database management for example. Recognizing the duplicative nature of parts of these three web-based tools, HAP began to explore the feasibility of creating one tool that allows SHIP programs to meet all of their programmatic functions in the most efficient manner.

To address this while reducing development and administrative costs, HAP created one web-based application that could be fully customizable down to the individual counselor level. This web-based application, SHIPTools, connects the three previous stand-alone applications into one new code base to accommodate the diversity of SHIP program needs, while also allowing SHIPs to meet their programmatic needs, such as reporting, training, and volunteer management, in the most efficient manner.

It is important to note that through the creation of SHIPTools, the ORS is no longer supported as a stand-alone application, but rather is a component of SHIPTools. A state program that implements SHIPTools has access to the ORS as well as many other functions.

SHIPTools is a web-based application which means that there is no special hardware or software required to access it. Users simply need a connection to the Internet and a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox to be able to use SHIPTools. Once a user has been set up, this also means that s/he can access SHIPTools and all corresponding information from any computer, regardless of location. SHIPTools works with dial-up or broadband connections to the Internet though to take full advantage of SHIPTools features, a faster Internet connection is recommended.

HAP has worked closely with SHIP programs for the past five years to gain a better understanding of their programmatic needs. Through our experiences in partnering with the SHIPs, HAP has been able to create tools that respond to the unique needs of each SHIP program, such as SHIPTools, while remaining replicable across the wider SHIP network. Because HAP is a non-profit organization that is committed to helping SHIPs build their capacity to educate and counsel Medicare beneficiaries as well as share best-practices within the SHIP network, we feel that we are in the best position to provide SHIPTools to those programs who are interested.

Yes, usernames and passwords restrict access to SHIP volunteers and staff. Security measure such as a firewall, software updates and virus protection keep the system and data safe from outside threats. In addition, the data contained in the tools uses at least 128 bit encryption via a secure socket layer.

No, information stored in SHIPTools is not accessible to everyone. To protect your privacy and the privacy of the Medicare beneficiaries that you are serving, SHIPTools has over 350 privileges that restrict access to information and functionality based on the individual needs of a SHIP program. At the time that SHIPTools is implemented within a SHIP program, HAP will work with a SHIP program to group these privileges into customized roles specific to the SHIP program to ensure that the user restrictions and accesses to information make sense to SHIP program administrators.