In Germany a pilot project in patient-oriented pharmacy has been started in the Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen to demonstrate the efficiency of this modem way of practising pharmacy in hospital. A special ward of the orthopaedic department (spinal injuries, 25 beds) was chosen for this project. Since February 1st, 1994, the pharmacists have taken over the stock management on the ward and dispense oral drugs in unit-dose systems for each patient. The pharmacists participate also in ward rounds and check the patients' medication charts in order to support and inform the physicians. So the project is a combination of improved patient care and an advisory service in pharmaceutical questions for the medical staff. In the first year of this project, which is still ongoing (February 1994-January 1995), 123 patients were treated on the ward; the average duration of stay was about 77 days. During this first year the pharmacists registered 111 questions and events leading to pharmaceutical interventions. The most important results of the project are the improvement in drug safety and more effective drug use. Other positive results are: during the course of the project the cooperation between the medical and pharmaceutical staff has been improved and the drug management by the pharmacy has resulted in a 17 per cent reduction of medication costs in comparison to the year before. All these results clearly demonstrate the success of these first steps in patient-oriented pharmacy.