The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services currently defines rehabilitation as: a well planned, goal-oriented, time-limited process, where several professions or services cooperate in assisting individuals to use their own efforts to achieve best possible functioning and coping capabilities, to become independent and to participate in society. This understanding of rehabilitation includes some important changes compared to previous definitions. One is an acknowledgement of the disabled person as an expert on his/her life, who should be involved in decisions concerning rehabilitation goals and interventions. Another is an increased focus on activity and participation in community as important goals. Continuous evaluation of the content, process and outcomes of rehabilitation is needed. An important step towards an evidence-based practice in this field is the implementation of valid and systematic assessments in clinical practice. This conceptualisation of rehabilitation requires use of individualised instruments that capture the patients' priorities and evaluations.