Patient safety doesn’t begin when a patient enters the operating room.
Long before the first incision is made, sterile processing professionals are working behind the scenes to ensure every instrument is cleaned, inspected, assembled, protected, sterilized, and ready for use. Their work may be invisible to patients, but its impact reaches every surgical procedure.
At Raine Medical, we believe patient safety is built through preparation, protection, consistency, and the people behind it all. That’s why our Faces of Patient Safety summer series highlights healthcare professionals whose work makes safer patient care possible every day.
Our next conversation features Marc Strong, BHSA, CRCST, CHL, Director of Sterile Processing at Henry Ford Health. His story is one of purpose, leadership, and a belief that every instrument prepared today may one day be used to care for someone you love.
Finding Purpose Behind the Process
Marc never expected to build a career in sterile processing.
After two automotive plant closures in Michigan, he returned to school intending to become a surgical technologist. As part of that program, he took an introductory sterile processing course. From there, everything changed.
“I kind of fell in love with it.”
What fascinated him wasn’t just the technical work. It was discovering the complex processes, standards, and attention to detail that happen behind the scenes to support every surgery.
Then another realization made the profession deeply personal.
As a child, Marc underwent two major hip surgeries at what is now Children’s Hospital of Michigan within the Detroit Medical Center. Years later, while working in sterile processing at the same hospital, he walked into one of the operating rooms and realized it was the very room where he had once been the patient.
It became a full-circle moment.
“Somebody had to prepare the instruments for my surgeries. I wanted to do that for the next kid who walks into Children’s Hospital.”
That perspective continues to shape the way he leads today.
Patient Safety Starts Long Before Surgery
When asked what patient safety means in his day-to-day work, Marc’s answer was immediate.
For him, patient safety begins with following evidence-based standards, investing in education, and creating processes that every team member understands and trusts.
“Education and communication are key.”
He believes consistency isn’t created by asking people to work harder. It’s created by building systems where everyone understands both how to perform the work and why it matters.
That includes communication not only within sterile processing, but also with the operating room.
“It doesn’t matter what we think of each other. It matters what we can do together to ensure the patient on the table goes home safely.”
For Marc, patient safety isn’t owned by one department. It’s a shared responsibility across the entire hospital.
Preparation Prevents Shortcuts
One of the recurring themes throughout our conversation was preparation.
Without preparation, communication breaks down. Processes become rushed. Shortcuts become tempting.
Those small gaps can have significant downstream consequences.
Marc believes hospitals best support patient safety by giving sterile processing teams the proper resources, reliable equipment, standardized processes, and ongoing education needed to perform their work consistently.
When those pieces come together, teams can spend less time overcoming obstacles and more time focusing on quality.
Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
At Henry Ford Health, Marc’s leadership philosophy centers on creating an environment where people can do their best work.
His approach is simple.
People perform at their highest level when they understand their purpose, feel supported, and have confidence in themselves. Rather than leading through fear, he prefers to coach, where mistakes become learning opportunities, questions spark curiosity, and people gain the self-confidence to grow.
By fostering open communication, collaboration, and continuous learning, Marc helps strengthen not only his department, but also the partnerships across surgical services that ultimately support patient care.
As he puts it:
“You have to put the patient first.”
Five Improvements that Made the Biggest Difference
As our conversation turned toward instrument protection, Marc reflected on a broader principle that has shaped his department: patient safety is strengthened when sterile processing professionals have the right tools, resources, and education to perform their work well.
When asked which changes have made the greatest impact in helping his team reduce challenges and improve quality, Marc highlighted five key areas:
- An instrument tracking system that provides meaningful data to support staffing, equipment decisions, and continuous process improvement.
- Upgraded equipment, including new instrument washers, that shortened processing times from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 38 minutes, improving workflow efficiency.
- More durable, bi-colored sterilization wrap that improved organization and supported more consistent tray identification by using one color for hospital-owned sets and another for loaners.
- Thoughtfully designed tip protectors that are easier to apply and remove, remain pliable after sterilization, and better fit a wider variety of instruments.
- Ongoing staff education, encouraging technicians to continue learning through podcasts, videos, AI tools, and other educational resources that foster curiosity and professional growth.
Why Thoughtful Design Matters
Speaking specifically about instrument protection, Marc shared how traditional polyvinyl-chloride (PVC) tip protectors often became oily, sticky and difficult to remove after sterilization, increasing frustration for technicians and creating unnecessary sharps risks during instrument handling.
He also emphasized that products that are easier to use are more likely to be used consistently, stating:
“Somebody finally started listening to sterile processing people when they created their product.”
Marc pointed to improvements in material consistency, easier application and removal, and designs that better fit instruments while retaining their flexibility after sterilization. He noted that because technicians find them easier to use, they’re also more likely to apply them consistently, helping protect both staff and instruments.
For Marc, these aren’t simply product improvements. They represent a broader philosophy: listening to the people doing the work every day and providing the resources, education, and tools they need to support both staff safety and patient safety.
Leading with Purpose
Perhaps the most memorable part of our conversation came when discussing what continues to motivate him after nearly two decades in sterile processing. His answer wasn’t about instruments. Nor was it about leadership. It wasn’t even about healthcare.
It was about family.
As the father of three boys, including a son with autism, Marc thinks often about the care his own family might one day need, especially for loved ones who may have difficulty communicating their needs.
“I would want that for my own family as much as I want it for anybody else’s family.”
That perspective reminds his team that every tray they assemble, every process they follow, and every detail they verify ultimately serves someone’s loved one.
Sometimes, it could even be their own.
Lightning Round Questions
One word associated with patient safety:
Commitment.
Most underrated part of sterile processing:
Handling people. Leadership isn’t just about instruments and processes. It’s about understanding, mentoring, and helping people grow.
Favorite way to unwind after work:
Playing golf, a tradition he still uses to stay connected to his grandfather, whose mentorship continues to influence his leadership today.
One quality that makes the biggest difference:
Self-confidence.
Marc believes self-confidence allows people to learn, grow, embrace challenges, and continually improve. As he puts it, confidence isn’t about believing you know everything. It’s believing you can keep learning.
Every Patient Has Someone Behind the Scenes
Marc’s story is a reminder that sterile processing is far more than preparing instruments. It is rooted in purpose, strengthened by leadership, driven by education, and sustained by a culture where people feel empowered to do the right thing, every single time.
At Raine Medical, we are grateful for sterile processing professionals like Marc whose leadership helps strengthen the systems, teams, and processes that protect patients every day. Because behind every successful surgery is a team of people committed to getting the details right. And every detail matters.