Sterile Processing Universal

What Sterile Processing Universal does

Sterile Processing Universal (SPU) is a private healthcare education provider headquartered in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, that trains individuals for careers in sterile processing and adjacent allied health roles. Its core curriculum centers on preparation for Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) certifications — CRCST, CER, CIS, and CHL — delivered through a hybrid model that pairs live online Zoom lectures with monthly in-person hands-on sessions at the Jenkintown facility, supplemented by a 400-hour clinical externship at affiliated healthcare facilities. The primary program is priced at $5,700 with customizable payment plans and a $20 lifetime membership fee, and a fully self-paced online variant has been added to reach schedule-constrained students.

SPU is wholly owned by the Living In Abundance Foundation, with all revenue donated to the foundation under its Terms of Service. The company operates with 11–50 employees, a single physical training site in Jenkintown, and a direct-to-consumer go-to-market built around website lead capture, phone outreach, and Client Services Representative follow-up within 24 business hours. The customer base is entirely individual learners — predominantly career-changers entering healthcare, provisionally certified technicians completing externship hours, and current sterile processing professionals pursuing leadership credentials — with no enterprise or hospital system contracts disclosed.

In 2024, SPU broadened its product surface with the addition of Allied Health programs (Medical Billing & Coding Specialist, Medical Administrative Assistant Professional, Medical Scribe Specialist), positioning itself as a multi-track healthcare workforce training provider rather than a single-vertical sterile processing school. The company holds Better Business Bureau accreditation but has no disclosed venture funding, no AI/ML capabilities, no mobile app, and no API; its competitive position rests on HSPA-aligned content, instructor quality, and the operational logistics of the externship network.

Name

Sterile Processing Universal

Legal name

Sterile Processing Universal LLC

Website

https://sterileprocessinguniversal.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sterile Processing Universal (SPU) is a Jenkintown, PA-based private healthcare education provider delivering HSPA-aligned sterile processing certification training (CRCST, CER, CIS, CHL) via hybrid Zoom-plus-in-person programs with 400-hour clinical externships, and recently expanded into Medical Billing, Medical Administration, and Medical Scribe training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Vocational Education and Certification Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sterile Processing & Central Service (SPD/CS) (EDAOAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI), Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB)

Keywords

• Sterile processing training
• Healthcare certification programs
• CRCST exam preparation
• Hybrid healthcare education
• Medical vocational training

Headquarters

HQ city

Jenkintown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training Program Tuition: Revenue generated from online sterile processing career training programs. The primary program (Online Sterile Processing Hybrid Class) costs $5700. Payment plans are available. All revenue is donated to Living In Abundance Foundation.
2. Membership Fees: A lifetime membership fee of $20 is required to become a member. This fee is automatically deducted from the initial down payment for the training program.
3. Externship Program: 400-hour hands-on externship program providing practical experience in healthcare settings. Focuses on fulfilling HSPA certification requirements for those who have studied elsewhere or are Provisionally Certified.
4. Refresher Course: 4-week intensive refresher course for classroom-trained individuals transitioning to department-ready status, featuring live instruction and real-world practice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sterile Processing Universal is a healthcare education company that delivers sterile processing certification training programs, including the Online Sterile Processing Hybrid Program (live Zoom classes plus monthly in-person hands-on training), a Self-Paced Online Program, a 400-Hour Externship Program, a 4-Week Refresher Course, and HSPA certification exam prep for CRCST, CER, CIS, and CHL credentials. Recently expanded to include Allied Health training programs (Medical Billing & Coding, Medical Administrative Assistant, and Medical Scribe Specialist).

Product overview

Sterile Processing Universal is a healthcare education organization offering a full pathway of sterile processing certification programs plus allied health training. The core offerings include the Online Sterile Processing Hybrid Program (combining live Zoom classes with monthly in-person sessions), the Self-Paced Online Program, and the 400-Hour Externship Program. The company also provides certification preparation courses for HSPA credentials including CRCST, CER, CIS, and CHL. Recently expanded to include Allied Health programs such as Medical Billing & Coding Specialist, Medical Administrative Assistant Professional, and Medical Scribe Specialist programs. All sterile processing programs include a 400-hour externship component at affiliated healthcare facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Sterile Processing Hybrid Program Hybrid training program combining live online Zoom lectures with monthly in-person hands-on training sessions, including the HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual and a 400-hour externship in a healthcare facility. Designed for individuals pursuing the CRCST certification.
• Online Sterile Processing Self-Paced Program Fully online self-paced learning option allowing students to study at their own convenience without live online classes, including a 400-hour externship opportunity. Designed for those needing maximum control over their study schedule.
• 400-Hour Externship Program Hands-on program allowing students to fulfill the 400-hour externship hours required for HSPA certification in a healthcare setting. Available for those who studied elsewhere or are Provisionally Certified.
• Sterile Processing Refresher Course A 4-week refresher course with live instructor guidance through the HSPA Sterile Processing Technical Manual, weekly assessments, and 400 hours of in-person hands-on training at affiliated facilities, designed for classroom-trained individuals transitioning to department-ready status.
• Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) Program Comprehensive prep course for the HSPA CER certification exam covering flexible endoscope design, cleaning, high-level disinfection, leak testing, and storage standards, with weekly modules, real-world case scenarios, and step-by-step workflows. Prerequisite required.
• Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) Program Certification preparation program delivering an in-depth learning experience for the HSPA CIS certification exam, covering instrument identification, functional testing, inspection techniques, and complex specialty sets. Prerequisite required.
• Certified Healthcare Leadership (CHL) Program Leadership-focused certification preparation program for the HSPA CHL certification exam, covering department leadership, regulatory compliance, budgeting and financial management, and workflow optimization. Fully online.
• Medical Billing & Coding Specialist Program Allied Health training program designed to prepare students for roles in medical billing and coding, aligned with real-world employer expectations.
• Medical Administrative Assistant Professional Program Allied Health training program designed to prepare students for medical administrative assistant roles, flexible and career-focused.
• Medical Scribe Specialist Program Allied Health training program designed to prepare students for medical scribe specialist roles, aligned with real-world employer expectations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Healthcare Facilities (Externship Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPU partners with healthcare facilities to provide students with 400-hour externship opportunities. These partnerships are essential to the training programs, allowing students to gain hands-on practical experience required for HSPA certification. Affiliated facilities provide the clinical environment for students to apply theoretical knowledge.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CareerStep: CareerStep is an online healthcare training provider with allied health programs and payment-plan structures aimed at adult learners entering healthcare. It is comparable in business model and target buyer, particularly for SPU's newer Medical Billing & Coding track.
• Ashworth College: Ashworth College provides an online Sterile Processing Technician certificate program with flexible payment plans designed for adult learners entering healthcare careers. It directly competes with SPU on program format and target persona.
• MedCerts: MedCerts is an online healthcare career training provider offering sterile processing and other allied health certification programs with similar payment-plan structures and HSPA-aligned exam prep. It competes head-to-head for SPU's prospective students.
• U.S. Career Institute: U.S. Career Institute offers an online Sterile Processing Technician training program with payment plans and HSPA certification preparation. It is a comparable online, self-paced competitor targeting similar career-changing adult learners.
• Penn Foster: Penn Foster is a large online career school offering a Sterile Processing Technician program aligned to HSPA certification, with similar pricing tiers, payment plans, and at-home online study. It is the most direct scaled competitor to SPU's online/hybrid model.

Broad incumbents

• Purdue University Global: Purdue Global is a large accredited online university offering healthcare support and certification programs including sterile processing-adjacent pathways. It competes for the same career-changing adult learner pool with the credibility of a regionally accredited university brand.
• Rasmussen University: Rasmussen is a regionally accredited online university with healthcare support and allied health certificate programs targeting adult career changers. It overlaps with SPU's broader Allied Health expansion (medical billing/coding, admin assistant) more than core sterile processing.

Regional players

• Spartanburg Community College (SPD Program): Several U.S. community colleges (e.g., Spartanburg CC, Grossmont College, Madison College) offer regionally accredited sterile processing/central sterile supply programs at lower tuition. They compete with SPU on price and accreditation credibility within their regions.
• BAMA Institute: BAMA Institute / BAMA Services is a sterile processing-specific training organization offering SPD certification prep with hands-on components. It is a niche, regionally-focused competitor focused on the same HSPA-aligned certification market.

Others

• Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA): HSPA is the certifying body for CRCST, CER, CIS, and CHL credentials and publishes the Sterile Processing Technical Manual that SPU's curriculum is built around. It is an enabling/standards authority rather than a competitor, but SPU's program positioning is anchored to its exams.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sterileprocessu
• Facebookfacebook.com/sterileprocessingu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterile-processing-universal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sterile Processing Universal