As detailed by Sean Nolan on FamilyHealthGuy – HealthVault now has

1. A Java wrapper library on available now on codeplex under Microsoft Public License.
2. Complete .NET SDK Source tobe released in Spring 08 under Microsoft Reference License.
3. Commited for Open Specification Promise process to be launched in Fall 08.

What this means is -

1. You can work with HealthVault using non Microsoft Technologies
2. You can refer to the .NET SDK if you want to develop a wrapper library to work with your technologies.
3. You can implement healthvault yourself!! – so no lock-in!
4. Transparent and Comminity driven – the process by which healthvault gets developed is transparent and open to participation by the community.

Very interestingly the Microsoft Common User Interface provides a set of ASP/WinForms controls which applications and user iterface designers can use to provide safe clinical applications! Its available as CodePlex Project!!! From my brief research i havent seen such a approach before other than the IBM CUA which was more about uniformity of user controls. I’m not sure that with the adoption of MVC model of web/app development the ASP/WinForms style controls will be more in demand in the future. Anyways one thing which sucks about it is that you can see what the controls are until you download the 13Megs of software, it would have been great to see some snapshots somewhere!!!