HIPAA Compliance in Healthcare: How CareHack Raised the Bar

Achieving HIPAA compliance in healthcare isn’t easy. Regulations are constantly evolving, cyber threats grow more sophisticated, and the stakes for data privacy have never been higher. Yet, for many healthtech organizations, the real challenge lies in transforming compliance from a checklist activity into an operational reality.

Policies must be living documents, regularly updated, enforced, and relevant to day-to-day work.

Accountability can fall through the cracks if control points don’t have clear owners.

Manual evidence collection is slow and unreliable, increasing the risk of missed incidents.

Inconsistent encryption and access controls create gaps in security.

Keeping staff trained and access reviews up-to-date requires constant attention.

How We Helped CareHack Overcome These Hurdles

 We recently delivered a HIPAA compliance package for CareHack designed to address these exact pain points and raise the standard for healthcare security:

 Six core HIPAA policies, including InfoSec, Breach Notification, and more, are versioned, assigned, and formally approved, ensuring they are always up to date and enforceable.

 All 43 control points are mapped directly to responsible owners across Access Control, Change Management, Security, Maintenance, Personnel, and Risk domains.

 Automated evidence collection and real-time monitoring catch configuration drift the moment it happens, enabling immediate response.

 Encryption protects all data in transit and at rest, enforced by multi-factor authentication and monitored through centralized audit logs.

 All code has passed thorough penetration testing for added peace of mind.

 The team receives regular cybersecurity training, and role-based access reviews are scheduled automatically to ensure that only the right people have the right access at all times.

 CareHack now benefits from a compliance program that is living, automated, and deeply integrated into daily operations, eliminating the guesswork and significantly reducing risk.

Ready to rethink compliance for your healthcare organization? Let’s connect.

#HIPAA #Compliance #Healthcare #Cybersecurity #InfoSec

CareHack set a new standard for HIPAA compliance. We helped them move beyond checklists with automated, always-updated policies, clear controls, real-time monitoring, strong encryption, and ongoing training, making security seamless and integrated into daily operations.

At CML Team we are building our own (yet internal) CRM system. Technology-wise, it's a traditional web application with Java + Spring Boot + MySQL on the backend and React + Next.js on the frontend.

We have pretty good code coverage for the backend (reaching 80%) with tests, but the integration tests are (as expected) rather slow. It takes 20+ minutes to run on CI server. It's even slower running locally.

Needless to say, this slowness renders tests much less useful and helpful for the developers, since they practically can't run the tests locally often enough.

At CML Team we value integration/functional tests. So we tend to write tests with less mocks, tests that span all layers of the (Java) application (controllers, services, repositories) -- down to (and including) the DB. The tests run on a real database (MySQL), not on often recommended H2.

Overall, the idea is, the closer your tests follow 

 application setup, the higher are the chances to catch 

Of course, we write unit-tests when applicable. But otherwise, we prefer end-to-end tests to tests for a specific controller, service or component.

It's clear that such tests are inherently slow, but they should not be 

 slow! It was time to take a deeper look to understand what's going on.

Let's take a look at typical test we had there:

As you can see, this test has the following logic:

Firstly, it wipes the DB and fills it with initial data in 

@CleanDataBaseBeforeAndAfter(".../init_data.json")

Then, it runs the body of the test method, that executes a REST call to the API being tested

Finally, it tests the correctness of the final state of the DB via 

It appears that this test takes whopping 8+ seconds to execute:

And if we take some thread dumps during the execution, we can see, that major part of this time is spent in the Database Rider plugin applying the initial state to the DB (

I have some guesses why this can take so long:

 into a set of SQL inserts the Database Rider must determine the correct insertion order, according to entity relations (like foreign keys). So I guess, as part of this routine it needs to first fetch the whole database metadata, and then apply some topological sorting to the source dataset.

I'm not quite sure, how efficiently does the Database Rider do the inserts. Whether it is in an auto-commit mode? Whether it does each insert in a separate transaction?

 is shared among multiple tests, it, probably, contains more data than needed for this particular test.

Given the concerns above, the rewrite strategy was obvious. Get rid of Database Rider annotations and code the DB initialization and DB check steps in plain code.

So now instead of having implicit logic, hidden in annotations we have it in code, in the 

 encapsulates the functionality of cleaning the DB and starting/committing the transactions, common for many tests:

 is to generate the testing data records in the DB. So by default it should generate the same entity data for any test, but should also provide a common way of customizing each entity instance before creation (using 

Using this design you can pre-populate the testing data set in any way you like in the most concise way:

 also uses a small trick of not using all the specific repositories for each entity type (like 

, etc.), but persisting through a lower level 

 fixture reuse. This makes it less efficient due to excessive data not needed for a particular test. Besides, tests now tend to rely on the same (or intersecting) data, making it harder to change this data for a particular test.

Secondly, tests are now self-contained, not scattered over multiple files, like with DB Rider. This makes the test logic more comprehensible.

Thirdly, it's easier to debug and profile this way. Also, you only create the minimum test data you need for a test.

Lastly, you have more opportunities to refactor, less copy-paste.

To illustrate the last point, let's take a look at the set of (repetitive) tests we had before the refactoring:

So far only 40 integration tests (out of around 490) are refactored this way.

And believe it or not, we also were able to delete over 3K+ lines during this change (mostly due to dropping the fixture files):

In the near future we plan to rewrite the rest of the tests and use this approach for new tests.

Rewriting Spring Boot integration tests for 10x speedup

How to drop the execution time of integration tests from 4m 30 sec to just 20 sec? Let's figure it out.

In today's fast-paced web development landscape, delivering high-quality software quickly and efficiently is essential. Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) have emerged as key practices that enable web development teams to achieve this goal. CI/CD is a set of principles and practices that facilitate the integration of code changes, automated testing, and rapid deployment to production, leading to faster development cycles, improved collaboration, and higher-quality software.

Continuous Integration (CI) involves automatically integrating code changes from multiple developers into a shared repository on a regular basis. This ensures that code changes are merged and built in a consistent manner, avoiding integration issues and reducing the risk of introducing bugs or conflicts. Automated build and testing processes are triggered upon code integration, allowing developers to quickly detect and fix any issues before they are deployed to production.

Continuous Delivery (CD), on the other hand, builds upon CI by automatically deploying changes to production as soon as they pass the automated tests. This enables teams to release software updates frequently and reliably, reducing the time and effort required for manual deployments and minimizing the risk of human error.

Implementing CI/CD in web development has numerous benefits. It helps teams catch and fix bugs earlier in the development process, reducing the cost and effort of fixing them in production. It also enhances collaboration among team members, as they work on smaller, manageable code changes that can be integrated and tested quickly. CI/CD also promotes a culture of accountability and responsibility, as developers are encouraged to write automated tests and ensure their changes do not break the build or tests.

One notable example of successful CI/CD implementation is the case of Amazon, the world's largest online retailer. Amazon's development teams use CI/CD extensively to manage their vast and complex web applications. With thousands of developers working on code changes simultaneously, Amazon uses automated build and testing tools to ensure that changes are continuously integrated and deployed to production. This has enabled Amazon to achieve high software release frequency, with new features and bug fixes being rolled out to customers quickly and efficiently.

Another case study is the popular social media platform, Facebook. Facebook's web development teams use CI/CD to manage their large-scale applications that serve billions of users worldwide. With a fast-paced development environment, Facebook relies on automated testing and deployment processes to ensure that code changes are safely integrated and deployed to production. This allows Facebook to deliver frequent updates and improvements to their platform, maintaining a high level of user satisfaction.

Implementing CI/CD in web development requires careful planning and coordination among team members. Here are some best practices for successful CI/CD implementation:

Automated Testing: Implement a comprehensive suite of automated tests, including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests, to catch bugs and ensure code quality. These tests should be run automatically upon code integration and deployment.

Code Versioning: Use a version control system, such as Git, to manage code changes and ensure that only approved changes are integrated into the main codebase.

Build Automation: Automate the process of building and packaging software, including dependencies, into deployable artifacts. This ensures that builds are consistent and reproducible, reducing the risk of configuration issues.

Deployment Automation: Automate the deployment process to production, including infrastructure provisioning and configuration management. This ensures that deployments are consistent and repeatable, reducing the risk of manual errors.

Monitoring and Feedback Loop: Implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to track the performance and stability of applications in production. Use the feedback loop from monitoring to continuously improve the software and identify and fix issues quickly.

Collaboration and Communication: Foster a culture of collaboration and communication among team members to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the common goal of delivering high-quality software. Regular team meetings, code reviews, and documentation are essential to facilitate communication and collaboration among team members.

DevOps Culture: Embrace a DevOps culture where development and operations teams work closely together to ensure smooth and efficient software delivery. Encourage cross-functional collaboration and shared ownership of the software development lifecycle.

Continuous Improvement: Continuously evaluate and improve the CI/CD pipeline by analyzing metrics and feedback from the monitoring and testing processes. Identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement, and iterate on the process to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

In conclusion, Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) are essential practices in modern web development to ensure faster and more reliable software delivery. Implementing CI/CD requires automated testing, version control, build and deployment automation, monitoring, collaboration, and a DevOps culture. Successful implementation of CI/CD can lead to improved software quality, faster release cycles, and enhanced collaboration among team members. Companies like Amazon and Facebook have successfully implemented CI/CD practices to manage their large-scale web applications, resulting in faster and more reliable software delivery to their customers. Embracing CI/CD in web development can significantly enhance the software development workflow and enable teams to deliver high-quality software efficiently and reliably.

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery in Web Development

Enhancing Software Development Workflow for Faster and More Reliable Delivery

As the world moves rapidly towards digitalization, cryptocurrencies have emerged as a popular and disruptive financial innovation. These digital currencies have gained considerable attention from both individual investors and financial institutions alike. However, as the industry grows, regulatory bodies have begun implementing strict measures to prevent fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities. One such measure is KYC, or Know Your Customer. In this article, we will explore what KYC means in the world of cryptocurrencies, why it is essential, and how it affects both investors and businesses.

Know Your Customer (KYC) is a standard practice in the financial industry that requires businesses to verify the identity of their clients. The primary purpose of KYC is to ensure that customers are who they claim to be, thus preventing fraudulent activities and reducing the risk of illegal transactions. KYC regulations have existed for traditional financial institutions for years, but as cryptocurrencies have gained prominence, these regulations have extended to cover crypto-based businesses as well.

For cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets, and other related businesses, KYC involves collecting personal information from customers, such as their name, address, date of birth, nationality, and a government-issued identification document (e.g., passport, driver's license, or national ID card). Sometimes, businesses may also require proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement.

The verification process may vary between different platforms but generally involves uploading a copy of the identification document and taking a selfie to prove that the person submitting the documents is the same as the person on the ID. Some platforms may also use video calls or third-party services to verify user identity further.

There are several reasons why KYC is crucial in the cryptocurrency space:

Regulatory Compliance: Cryptocurrency businesses are subject to various regulatory requirements, just like traditional financial institutions. Implementing KYC measures helps these businesses comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) regulations, reducing the risk of legal penalties and reputational damage.

Fraud Prevention: KYC procedures help identify and prevent fraudulent activities, such as identity theft, by ensuring that customers are who they claim to be.

Risk Management: By verifying customer identity, cryptocurrency businesses can better assess potential risks and manage their overall exposure to financial crime.

Investor Protection: KYC measures can help protect investors by ensuring that their funds are not being used for illegal purposes, which could lead to loss of funds or legal ramifications.

How Does KYC Affect Investors and Businesses?

, the KYC process can be time-consuming and may feel invasive. However, it is essential to understand that these measures are in place to protect both the individual and the broader financial system. By ensuring that businesses adhere to KYC requirements, investors can have greater confidence in the legitimacy and security of the platforms they choose to use.

, implementing a robust KYC process can be costly and resource-intensive. However, it is a necessary step to comply with regulatory requirements and protect their operations from fraudulent activities. Moreover, demonstrating a commitment to compliance and security can help to establish trust and credibility with both customers and regulators.

What is the difference between crypto and non-crypto KYC providers?

The primary difference between crypto and non-crypto KYC providers lies in their focus and the specific nature of the industries they serve. While both types of providers aim to verify the identity of customers and adhere to regulatory compliance, their approaches and the challenges they face may vary. Here, we will discuss some of the key differences between crypto and non-crypto KYC providers.

 specialize in serving businesses operating within the cryptocurrency and blockchain space, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets, and token issuers. Their expertise and understanding of the unique challenges in this industry enable them to tailor their services accordingly.

, on the other hand, typically cater to traditional financial institutions, such as banks, credit unions, and investment firms. While some non-crypto KYC providers may also offer services to crypto businesses, their primary focus remains on the conventional financial sector.

As the cryptocurrency industry continues to grow and mature, KYC measures have become a vital component of the overall regulatory framework. While it may be an inconvenience for some users, KYC plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and legitimacy of cryptocurrency businesses, ultimately contributing to a safer and more reliable financial landscape for everyone.

What is KYC in crypto and why it's so important?

While it may be an inconvenience for some users, KYC plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and legitimacy of cryptocurrency businesses.

It's been a while since I wrote the previous article, "

" and many of you probably wondered what the next steps would be after the initial interview. As the hiring process has evolved, our focus remains on finding exceptional software and smarty developers to drive success in complex projects. This article will guide you through our updated hiring process, optimized for efficiency and quality when looking for top-notch developers.

Over the past few years, our company has grown significantly, and the hiring process has changed accordingly. However, the core approach and principles remain the same.

We still aim to find 10x engineers who can work at a magnitude faster than average engineers without compromising the quality of deliverables. In the competitive hiring landscape, it's essential to streamline the process while ensuring the right candidate is chosen.

In this article, we will discuss our current hiring process for software and smarty developers, emphasizing efficiency and quality, and share some interesting experiences we've had in our hiring journey.

Our current hiring process consists of the following steps:

 performed by our recruiters to ensure the candidate possesses verbal and written English skills, fits our corporate values, and can answer pre-initial technical questions — “brick problem”, algorithmic complexity knowledge, etc. These calls last 10-20 minutes and help us narrow down candidates for the next stages.

 is mostly for Junior positions and can be skipped for Mid/Senior positions. More details can be found in our previous 

 сonducted by one or two middle-level software engineers, this interview focuses on technical questions related to the specific technology and assessing the candidate's logical and algorithmic thinking.

 - usually takes 4-8 hours to complete and tests the candidate's skills in a real-world scenario.

In some cases, the client may want to conduct their own interview. However, our process remains relevant and mandatory to ensure only strong candidates are presented to the client.

As shown in the hiring funnel below, only 1 out of 26 candidates selected during the resume vetting stage passes through the entire process. This approach allows us to deliver complex and challenging projects to our clients while maintaining top-notch quality and the ability to scale swiftly.

There are numerous articles that aim to help software developers prepare for interviews. We would like to shed light on a few key points that often undeservedly remain in the shadows:

Prepare for behavioral questions, you'll likely be asked about your experience working in teams, handling conflicts, and mentoring junior developers. Reflect on these experiences and prepare concise, specific examples to share with the interviewer.

Showcase your problem-solving skills, good developers are often tasked with solving complex problems. Practice solving coding challenges and discussing your thought process out loud to demonstrate your ability to think critically and systematically.

Ask insightful questions: Prepare a list of thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the company, team, and role. This shows your enthusiasm and interest in the position and helps you assess if the opportunity is a good fit for you.

Hiring process became much more challenging, and competition grew dramatically. We can’t afford any longer to keep candidates in the loop for weeks. At the same time we don’t want to hire the wrong person, and don’t want to waste pointlessly precious time of our software engineers. Another issue that has emerged since 2020 is the significant increase in the number of developers wanting to work remotely. Our process addresses these issues by:

Continuously updating our requirements and expectations to match the evolving skill sets needed in the industry.

Adapting our interview process to accommodate remote work, utilizing video calls and online assessments to effectively evaluate candidates from a distance.

Staying informed about industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure our candidates are well-versed in the latest tools and practices.

Our updated hiring process is designed to efficiently and effectively identify and hire software developers who can drive success in complex projects.

If you need reliable and high-performance developers, don't hesitate to contact us. We not only provide the best candidates but also manage them, ensuring the success of your projects. Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we'll dive even deeper into the hiring process and share more insights and experiences.

How to hire smarty software developers

Our objective is to find a so-called 10x engineer. And, of course, without compromises on the quality of deliverables.

HIPAA Compliance in Healthcare: How CareHack Raised the Bar

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