Rheumatoid arthritis is the most prevalent inflammatory rheumatic disease. Limited participation of the individual patient accumulates with large amounts of indirect costs for society: About 40 % of the affected patients have to quit their jobs within the first three to four years after disease onset. Nevertheless, the German health care system still seems to lack an adequate supply, particularly in case of medical rehabilitation in early stages of disease. International clinical trials, reviews amd evidence-based guidelines emphasize the importance of an early multimodal multidisciplinary team care as in Germany provided by specialised clinics through three-week in-patient medical rehabilitation programs. The available study explores the efficacy of a counselling interview on an medical in-patient rehabilitation in a randomised controlled design. Exclusively, gainfully employed insurants of compulsory health insurances and statutory pension insurances are included in the study.