A secure distribution method for digitized image scan using a two-step wavelet-based technique: A Telemedicine Case

The objective of this paper is to present a secure distribution method to distribute healthcare records (e.g. video streams and digitized image scans). The availability of prompt and expert medical care can meaningfully improve health care services in understaffed rural and remote areas, sharing of available facilities, and medical records referral. Here, a secure method is developed for distributing healthcare records, using a two-step wavelet based technique; first, a 2-level db8 wavelets transform for textual elimination, and later a 4-level db8 wavelets transform for digital watermarking. The first db8 wavelets are used to detect and eliminate textual information found on images for protecting data privacy and confidentiality. The second db8 wavelets are to secure and impose imperceptible marks to identify the owner; track authorized users, or detects malicious tampering of documents. Experiments were performed on different digitized image scans. The experimental results have illustrated that both wavelet-based methods are conceptually simple and able to effectively detect textual information while our watermark technique is robust to noise and compression.