How One Day Changed Everything For Sterile Processing Leader Matthew Thell

St. Paul, Minnesota–Thirteen years ago, a young man named Matthew Thell stumbled by accident into a sterile processing department (SPD) in the basement of a Minnesota hospital.

At the time, Thell was working as a driver for a medical device transportation service. On his way to complete a delivery, he walked past glass doors that protected giant washers and people in scrubs doing what seemed like meticulous work. “I was so intrigued,” said Thell. “I had to know more.”

Lead by curiosity, Thell started a conversation with one of the technicians, who explained that they were the hospital’s SPD, the first line of defense against infection. That only sparked more questions from Thell.

During the conversation, Thell learned that the department happened to be hiring. The technician encouraged Thell to apply. Just two days later, he got the job.

“We all have ways that we fall into our purpose, and this was quite literally the day that I fell into mine,” said Thell. “I never imagined stumbling into this department would change the course of my life. I ended up falling in love with this work. While I don’t directly care for patients, I know that the work that we’re doing impacts each of those patients. That means something to me.”

Thell has worked in sterile processing ever since. He spent his first few years in the profession as a technician before advancing into quality assurance and education roles. Now, he’s a System Program Manager for High Level Disinfection and Sterilization Practice at Fairview Health Services in St. Paul, Minnesota. As of December 2025, he’ll be the Past Chapter President of the Minnesota Sterile Processing Association (MNSPA).

Now that he knows what a solid, rewarding career path sterile processing is, Thell spends his time ensuring that others don’t have to rely on luck – or take a chance walk through a hospital basement – to discover it for themselves.

Indeed, recruitment and retention have been big talking points for hospitals and central sterile processing departments across the nation. With an aging professional population and low cultural awareness of sterile processing as a career path, leaders have faced the question: How do we get people involved in the industry? And, once they’re involved, how do we get them to stay?

“One of the things that I’ve focused on in my year of Presidency is improving our outreach to the community,” said Thell. “We know that there are over 1000 registered central service technicians in the state of Minnesota, and we’re only reaching a portion of that. So how do we create interest for people who are just coming into the workforce, and also create visibility to the profession itself?”

That’s why Thell funnels his energy into events such as sterile processing workshops. On August 14, 2025, the MNHSPA partnered with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) to produce a collaborative, hands-on event featuring workshops on high-level disinfection and sterilization. More than 100 people registered for the event.

Most recently, Thell helped organize the 28th Annual Upper Midwest Healthcare Expo, which took place on October 3, 2025. With more than 100 professionals and students in attendance from all across the Midwest, the day was a grand success in information sharing, networking, and working together to create a stronger profession.

Still, perhaps the biggest highlight of Thell’s past year as President was when Minnesota officially passed legislation requiring certification for sterile processing professionals in the state, making Minnesota the sixth American state to do so. The win is a direct result of lobbying and campaigning done by the MNSPA, alongside other organizations and industry leaders.

“That was such a huge milestone for the profession itself,” said Thell. “This change in legislation speaks volumes. It shows people that the profession is important. That the role we play in patient safety is important.”

According to Thell, not only will the new legislation put more respect on the name of the profession, it’ll provide crucial recruitment support for Minnesota SPDs.

“Mandatory certification makes sterile processing feel like more than a job,” said Thell. “It’s a career, and this path is full of opportunities.”

As for what’s next, Thell is looking forward to focusing on more education initiatives and bringing even more visibility to the profession in the New Year.

“Our in-person events will be even stronger, and we are looking to strengthen our online education systems in the next year,” said Thell. “It’s all in service of pouring education and resources back into the sterile processing community.”

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