Beloved by patients, one doctor’s approach to care

For Dr. Ellen Pastrano, the connection she shares with her patients is key to providing them with the best care. A close mentor once told her that people are more likely to remember the advice of a friend versus a stranger. Taking that to heart, Dr. Pastrano strives to get to know her patients on a personal level.

“Seeing my patients is like visiting with an old friend,” says Dr. Pastrano, a family medicine doctor affiliated with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group. “Not the friend with high blood pressure, but the friend whose daughter got married over the summer.”

This personalized care from Dr. Pastrano and her team has resonated deeply with her patients. Most recently, Dr. Pastrano has surpassed 100 Guardian Angel recognitions.

The Guardian Angel program provides grateful patients the opportunity to support Sharp HealthCare while recognizing caregivers who made a difference during their visit or stay. Each honored Guardian Angel receives a card informing them of the thoughtful gift and a lapel pin to wear proudly.

“Every time I receive a Guardian Angel card from my patients, I am truly humbled by their kindness,” says Dr. Pastrano. “Caring for them is an absolute pleasure.”

A doctor among engineers
Becoming a doctor has been a lifelong dream ever since she was little. Breaking from a long family line of engineers, Dr. Pastrano found joy in caring for others while helping in her uncle’s family clinic as a teenager in the Philippines.

Today, Dr. Pastrano has found her special place at Sharp, where she has practiced for the past 10 years. Every Guardian Angel recognition she receives serves as a positive affirmation she has found what she was meant to do.

“What I love about The Sharp Experience is that my patients know the type of care they will receive every time they see us,” says Dr. Pastrano. “My team and I write back every one of our Guardian Angel supporters to thank them for allowing us to care for them.”

In recognition of National Doctors’ Day on March 30, please consider honoring an outstanding physician in your or a loved one’s life with a donation in their honor. A tribute gift made in any amount will support patient care innovations and will qualify your honored physician for the 2022 Doctors’ Day award recognition.