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+<!--
+Thanks for contributing! See CONTRIBUTING.md. Keep this PR to one concern; open large or
+sweeping changes as an issue first so scope and a verification plan can be agreed.
+-->
+
+## What & why
+<!-- What does this change do, and why? -->
+
+Closes #<!-- issue number (required; no PR without a referenced issue) -->
+
+## How to verify
+<!--
+REQUIRED for any behavior change. Give a reviewer a runnable before/after — not just "tests pass."
+Replacing the battery isn't the job; starting the car is.
+
+- Exact steps / input to reproduce.
+- Observable result BEFORE this change (the bug) vs AFTER (fixed).
+- For behavior a unit test can't capture (wire output, a deployed channel, a REST path),
+  the exact commands and what you observed.
+
+Docs-only or non-behavioral change? Write "N/A — no behavior change" and why.
+-->
+
+## Checklist
+- [ ] Scoped to one concern; no drive-by reformatting/renames
+- [ ] Tests added/adjusted — a regression test **fails before** the change and **passes after** (line coverage is not proof)
+- [ ] `./gradlew build -PdisableSigning=true -Pcoverage=true` passes locally
+- [ ] Behavior & compatibility preserved (public API, serialization, DB schema, wire/HL7) — or the change is intentional and called out above
+- [ ] No PHI in logs; no new unsafe/reflective deserialization or XXE