Final answer:
Hospice care is the field of medicine dedicated to caring for terminally ill patients by providing comfort and dignity during the dying process. It includes pain management and support in a hospice center or at home. Thanatology is the study of death and dying that informs hospice care practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The field of medicine that focuses on the comprehensive care of patients with terminal illnesses is known as hospice care. Hospice care provides compassionate treatment for terminally ill patients when cure-oriented treatments are no longer effective. It is a specialized form of healthcare that emphasizes comfort and quality of life for patients as they approach the end of their life. This care can be provided in hospice centers or in the patient's home, allowing them to be surrounded by familiar comforts and loved ones. The role of hospice care is to ensure that patients can pass away with dignity, often with pain management and emotional support for both the patient and their families.
Death with dignity and the ethical considerations of resolving how modern medicine intersects with end-of-life decisions are crucial components of this field. Additionally, modernization theory suggests that changes in society's view of death have evolved alongside industrialization and technological advancements. Furthermore, the field of thanatology explores the systematic study of death and dying, informing hospice care practices and perspectives on end-of-life issues.