Construction Projects for People and Medicine
Interview with Karsten Felsner, Managing Director of Felsner Consult GmbH
Few areas in construction are as complex and demanding as hospital construction. Here, technical excellence, organizational complexity, and human responsibility intersect. Over the past ten years, Felsner Consult GmbH from Berlin has established itself as a specialist for project management in hospital and laboratory construction.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Felsner, you founded Felsner Consult in 2015 – how did that come about?
Karsten Felsner: I previously worked for a medium-sized project management company in hospital construction, which was later acquired by a large conglomerate. For me, as a pragmatic project manager, the corporate world was too rigid. At the same time, there were clients who wanted to continue working with us. So I took the step towards self-employment.
Wirtschaftsforum: Which projects have particularly shaped you?
Karsten Felsner: The Charité high-rise ward was our starting point – our journeyman's piece, so to speak. This was followed by the construction of the Central Medical Functions in Rostock, where we were able to get a stalled project back on track. Such experiences have made us known in the industry: We are regarded as those who tackle projects that have fallen into a difficult situation. This
We owe our trust not least to a strong network – many clients come back to us later because they know that we can solve problems.
Wirtschaftsforum: What distinguishes your work method from that of large project managers?
Karsten Felsner: We are pragmatic and solution-oriented. Large companies work very formally, with a lot of documentation and process steps. It has its justification, but we proceed more directly. If something goes wrong on the construction site, we speak immediately with all involved – client, architect, craftsman. We look for solutions together instead of assigning blame. This direct communication saves time and builds trust.
Wirtschaftsforum: Hospital construction is considered particularly complex. What are the biggest challenges?
Karsten Felsner: Three points stand out: Firstly, many clients are chronically understaffed. Large hospitals simply have too few resources to handle such projects. Secondly, the technical complexity is enormous, from building automation over medical technology to fire safety. Thirdly, the user management is challenging: in a hospital, you are not talking to one decision-maker, but to dozens – doctors, nursing managers, technicians. All have legitimate claims that must be coordinated. This complexity makes hospital construction unique and exciting.
Wirtschaftsforum: What services does Felsner Consult provide?
Karsten Felsner: We divide our work into four areas: project management, user project management, risk management, and commissioning management. The last point is essential in hospital construction. Even when a new building is technically complete, it often takes months before the systems run smoothly. We closely accompany this phase to ensure everything works in the end – from the operating room to the ventilation system.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you assess the current market situation?
Karsten Felsner: We are optimistic about the future. Reforms in healthcare are leading to significant structural changes—hospitals are being consolidated, specialized, or restructured. This will lead to substantial construction volumes in the coming years.
Wirtschaftsforum: You are known for being very digital – almost unusually so in the construction industry.
Karsten Felsner: That's true. We work almost exclusively paperless today. In the past, our corridors were full of filing cabinets, but now everything is digital through platforms and task management tools. Even public clients like the Berlin Senate Administration are now working with such systems. This saves time, makes processes transparent, and allows our engineers to concentrate on the essentials – the project itself.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you succeed in attracting and retaining good staff?
Karsten Felsner: That is indeed the biggest challenge. We rely on home-grown talent – young people who start with us as students and then gradually take on responsibility. This works excellently. Our corporate culture plays a big role: we are open, collegiate and support each other. Here, everyone helps each other without anyone having to instruct them to do so. Added to this are things like our annual office trip. Most recently, we were with the entire team in Paris. Such experiences create a sense of belonging.
Wirtschaftsforum: What are your wishes for the future of your company and the industry?
Karsten Felsner: For ourselves, I wish for stability instead of growth at any cost. A size of about 20 employees fits perfectly—we are agile, efficient, and close to the projects. For the industry, I wish for more deregulation. If we could build simpler and faster again, it would be a win for everyone – especially in healthcare, where every day counts.