Professional Skills

• A mortality review officer must coordinate with various members of hospital administration in order to collect the data necessary to write a complete mortality review. The officer may need to assist requests from state official administrators for hospital records. The mortality officer answers to the project manager, who updates the mortality officer with data request applications.
  
  Administratively, the mortality review officer is responsible for organizing committee mortality review meetings and providing the committee with new research materials concerning the medical specialization and its relevance to lowering the mortality rate.
  
  

Required Skills

• The specific skills vary according to the department of employment as a prospective candidate is required to have knowledge of specific health issues. For example, a mortality review officer in maternal and infant review would need to have knowledge of obstetrical and newborn issues.
  
  Excellent communication, multi-tasking and writing skills are necessary. The mortality review officer communicates with various hospital personnel in order to complete a mortality review, so interpersonal communication skills are a must. The officer must be organized and meticulous in order to handle a wide variety of cases on a daily basis.
  
  

Education and Prior Experience

• A bachelor's degree in epidemiology is the minimum education requirement. In lieu of a specialization in epidemiology, at least eight credits in the physical or biological sciences or completion of the principles of epidemiology course offered by the Centers for Disease Control is required. Also needed is one year of full-time, paid work experience as a health care professional that requires the comprehension of medical charts and medical data in order to conclude patient health condition.
  
  

Job Outlook

• The BLS projected the health care industry to generate more than 3.2 million new jobs from 2008 to 2018. This figure is greater than any other industry with a 22 percent increase vs. the national average of 11 percent. Though the slowest growth within the health care industry will be in hospitals, which is where mortality review officers are commonly employed. The growth of jobs within hospitals will only account for 10 percent of the entire health care industry job growth.
  
  

Salary

• According to PublicHealthJobs.net, the average salary for a mortality review officer is $49,000 to $79,000, as of November 2008. The salary varies according to location, years of experience and education. Those with a master's degree in a related discipline will be better compensated.