ROCKY MOUNTAIN
PERINATAL INSTITUTE

The Research Arm of the Origin Health Family

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PERINATAL INSTITUTE (RMPI) will be created to optimize perinatal outcomes in non-urban environments — A Western Montana focus with a worldwide impact.

Currently, Rocky Mountain Perinatal Institute is still in the planning phase. The statements about RMPI contain Dr. Fausett’s vision for its work and his plans to use it to facilitate guidance, resources, and a focus for rural families and healthcare providers in order to optimize perinatal outcomes.

The institute has two primary missions. First, to translate and perform obstetric research for the non-urban environment. Second, to elevate the quality of care in western Montana through patient and provider education, shared educational resources, collaborative development of checklists, protocols, policies and referral guidelines, and quality improvement data sharing and analytics.
Despite over one-half of the deliveries in the US occurring in non-urban environments, the great majority of obstetric research is performed in urban environments. The associated findings and conclusions have significant limitations when applied to non-urban environments. The institute supports original perinatal research targeting non-urban reproductive aged women and “translates” existing research from the urban environment to the non-urban environment.

Dr. M. Bardett Fausett, founder, is currently practicing Maternal-Fetal Medicine with Origin Health Maternal Fetal Care, in Missoula. Prior to retiring from Active Duty service, Dr. Fausett led the obstetric program in the Department of Defense. In that role, he developed worldwide guidelines, checklists, and patient and provider tools for delivering obstetric care in many small DoD obstetric facilities. His quality improvement efforts continue to have a positive impact on the DoD. His involvement with the National Perinatal Nutrition group has helped guide FDA perinatal nutrition policies.