Who doesn’t love the idea of a personal coach? Whether that’s a life coach to help you live your best life, a nutrition coach to empower you to live healthfully, or a fitness coach to motivate you to get fit, coaching is hugely popular.

But there’s one coach we often forget: your health coach — also known as your primary care doctor.

Not only should your primary care doctor be your go-to person for all things health and wellness, they can also help you in ways no one else can.

Don’t have a primary care doctor? Here’s four reasons why you need one.

1. Primary care doctors are health experts

Forget about what you read online or what a friend said, primary care doctors know what they’re talking about. You can trust their advice and recommendations. They’ve dedicated years of their lives to helping people just like you.

Their focus is your wellness. They’ve studied thousands of conditions, injuries, infections, diseases, treatments, and drugs. Your primary care doctor is an expert in your health.

2. Primary care doctors help you save money

A routine visit with a primary care doctor is much cheaper than seeing a specialist or ending up in the ER. Your primary care doctor can also help you save money on prescriptions by finding a less pricey generic drug or recommending affordable over-the-counter remedies that work equally well.

Additionally, the old phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings true when it comes to healthcare. Regular check-ins with your primary care doctor are meant to catch little problems before they turn into big — and potentially expensive — issues. And if you have a chronic medical condition, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or asthma, they can help you manage it.

3. Primary care doctors help you improve your health and wellbeing

Your primary care doctor is there for you not only when you’re sick, but when you want to improve your health. Want to lose weight? Get your old energy back? Clear up acne? Talk to your primary care doctor. They’re here to help you live your best life.

A primary care doctor is uniquely positioned to help in this area because they get to know you over time. They’ll develop a relationship with you and have better knowledge of your overall health. That’s been proven to save money, improve health, and save lives.

4. Primary care doctors keep things confidential

Don’t be afraid of telling your primary care doctor anything. Yes, anything.

Your primary care doctor maintains strict confidentiality. You can rest easy knowing that whatever you share is private, unless you are going to hurt yourself or someone else.

This means that you can talk to your primary care doctor about nagging concerns and things you hoped would go away.

Expert help, when and where you need it

If you need another reason to schedule your first appointment with a primary care doctor, here’s one more: you can do it all on your phone.

HealthTap’s virtual primary care doctors offer the exact same support as in-person primary care doctors, just via video, text, app and phone — with appointments at times that work for you. That means no trips to a doctor’s office, long waits to see a doctor, and limited office hours. Your primary care doctor will bring their expertise to you, wherever and whenever you need them.