About PTEC Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Programme
The Primary Tech-Enhanced Care (PTEC) Programme helps patients to manage chronic conditions from the comfort of their home, with a simple-to-use kit.
PTEC for Blood Pressure
As the first programme of PTEC, the Home Blood Pressure (BP) Monitoring Programme aims to enable patients with high blood pressure to manage their conditions better in the comfort of their home. The simple technology and tele-consultations with the polyclinics will help to support patients on their journey.
PTEC is currently available in all polyclinics around Singapore.
Watch 62-year-old Tan Tse Lian learn to manage her hypertension better after joining the PTEC programme, with the support of her polyclinic care team*.
*This is a dramatisation that shows the journey of a typical patient enrolled in the programme.
PTEC Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Programme at a glance
MEASURE: Track your blood pressure closely
Patients will take their BP at home at least once a week, with a Bluetooth-enabled BP machine. The readings will be saved automatically in the Health Discovery+ app, and patients can view all past readings in a helpful chart, showing how their condition changes over time.
SHARE: Allows easy sharing of blood pressure readings with polyclinics
BP readings can be easily sent to the polyclinic with a click of a button. The care team will monitor the BP readings and contact the patient if the condition is not well-controlled, or if there is a need for adjustment of medication.
SUPPORT: Provides timely advice on managing blood pressure
The Health Discovery+ app will provide patients with timely and interactive advice, helpful reminders, and notifications. To help patients to save time and reduce their polyclinic visits, the care team may also schedule a tele-consultation and provide clinical advice over the phone.
BENEFITS: Lowers risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health problems
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious health problems. By managing their BP better, patients will reduce their risk of such health issues. Patients have shown significant decreases in their BP after their first month on PTEC, and maintain that improved BP while on the programme.
Manage your health closer to home, with PTEC!
Getting Started
Eligibility criteria:
Aged 21 to 80 years old
Not pregnant
History of high blood pressure
No history of atrial fibrillation, kidney failure or heart failure
If you are interested in this programme, you can approach your doctor or nurse during your usual polyclinic visit. Your care team will advise whether this is suitable for you.
2. Enable location while installing the app if you are using an Android phone.
Step 2: Log in
1. Open the app and tap on the QR code to log in with the Singpass app.
2. Enter Singpass passcode or login with biometrics.
3. Select 'Log in'.
4. Return to the Health Discovery+ app.
Step 3: Set 4-digit password
Set your preferred 4-digit passcode (or allow biometric login if available).
Step 4: Enable Bluetooth
Turn Bluetooth 'On' under the 'Settings' menu on your phone.
Step 5: Select your device
1. Tap on 'Settings' at the bottom of the screen.
2. Select 'Devices'.
Step 6: Pair your device
1. Select the device 'A&D UA-651BLE'.
2. Press and hold the 'START' button on the device until 'Pr' is displayed.
Step 7: Pairing complete
When 'END' is displayed on BP machine, pairing is complete.
If pairing failed and the error code ‘Err 10’ is displayed, remove and reinstall the batteries and repeat the steps above.
3. Measure your BP
PRECAUTION! Avoid eating, smoking, exercising and drinking coffee for at least 30 minutes before taking your BP reading.
Step 1: Connect cuff
Connect the BP cuff to the BP machine.
Step 2: Wrap cuff correctly
1. Slide and place the cuff onto your upper arm. Make sure the white dot on the cuff is in line with your ring finger with your palm facing up.
2. Wrap and lighten the cuff evenly, 1cm to 2cm above your elbow.
Step 3: Check cuff and position
The BP cuff should fit snugly onto your arm. It should not feel loose. You should be able to fit no more than two fingers under the cuff.
1. Relax your hand and your palm should be facing upwards.
2. Place your feet resting flat on the floor and arm supported.
Step 4: Open the Health Discovery+ App
1. Open the app and tap on the 'Record Blood Pressure' icon.
2. Select your preferred reading submission approach:
A. Tap on ‘Manual’ to manually key in your BP reading.
B. Tap on ‘Auto’ to upload your BP reading automatically via Bluetooth.
Step 5: Checking Your BP
Push the 'Start / Stop' button to start measuring your BP.
Note: Do not talk or move while your BP is being checked.
4. Share your BP reading with your care team
Step 1: Submit your BP reading
AUTO
Please make sure that Bluetooth and Location are turned on.
1. Your reading will be automatically synced to the app.
2. Tap on ‘Submit’ to share your reading with your care team.
MANUAL
1. Manually key in your BP and heart rate reading in the relevant fields.
2. Tap on ‘Submit’ to share your reading with your care team.
Step 2: Receiving feedback in the app
When your reading is successfully submitted, you will receive feedback regarding your BP control in the app. Please follow the instructions and reply to the message accordingly if required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I do not have Singpass?
To enrol on the PTEC Home BP Monitoring Programme, you will need to have a Singpass account, and have the Singpass app installed on your phone. Singpass is the trusted digital identity for Singapore citizens’ and residents' convenient and secure access to thousands of government and private sector services, online and in person. Please go to https://www.singpass.gov.sg/main for more information about Singpass.
What is the cost of this programme?
Singapore Citizens and PRs will enjoy a subsidised price of $6.30 per year for the programme, and a one-off price of $7.50 for a Bluetooth-enabled BP machine*. Usual consultation, medication and lab tests will be charged separately.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please speak to your care team for more details.
Can I drop out of this programme halfway?
There will be no refund if you drop out of the programme, and you will need to return the subsidies* on the Bluetooth-enabled BP machine. We strongly encourage you to remain on this programme to better manage your condition.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please speak to your care team for more details.
Can I get a replacement if my BP machine is damaged? Do I still get the same rate if my machine is damaged and need to purchase a new one?
If your machine is still within the 1-year warranty and the damage is not due to misuse, please contact our IT support hotline at 6958 7998.
Can I use my own BP machine instead of buying a new one for this programme?
Yes. If you do not wish to purchase our compatible Bluetooth-enabled BP machine, you can use your current BP machine, or purchase a BP machine of your choice. You can manually key in your BP readings, or use the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature in the app, and they will be transmitted to the polyclinic.
However, we encourage you to use a compatible Bluetooth-enabled BP machine, as it is more convenient to let your readings sync automatically via Bluetooth.
I forgot my Singpass password. How do I reset it?
If you have set up your Singpass, you can reset your password online:
If you require further assistance, please contact the Singpass Helpdesk at support@singpass.gov.sg or 6335 3533. The operating hours are from 8am to 8pm (Mondays to Fridays) and from 8am to 2pm (Saturdays) excluding Sundays and public holidays.
What can I do if the Health Discovery+ app is not supported on my phone?
To use Health Discovery+, your phone operating system will need to be iOS 12 and above, or Android 9.0 and above.
You should download the latest available operating system if you have not done so. You may do so by opening your phone’s ‘Settings’, selecting ‘About Phone’ and tapping ‘Check for Updates’. If an update is available, an ‘Update’ button will appear. Tap it to install and reboot your phone.
You may contact our IT support hotline at 6958 7998 if you still have problems installing the app.
What do I do if the app is not working?
If you are experiencing issues with the HD+ app, you can try the following:
force quit the app and reopen it,
restart your phone, or
check for updates to the app.
If the app still does not work properly, you can contact our IT service support hotline at 6958 7998.
What if my BP machine stops working?
You may try the following solutions:
change batteries or ensure there's enough power,
remove and reinsert the batteries, or
restart the BP machine.
If the machine still does not work properly or if it is unable to pair with the mobile app, you can contact our IT service support hotline at 6958 7998.
PTEC is a collaborative effort by the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT) and the three Polyclinic Clusters - National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP), National University Polyclinics (NUP) and SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP), and supported by Synapxe.
