Final answer:
In coding, the second-to-last number should be a "0" if the patient has not been to the hospital in the past 3 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
In coding, the second-to-last number should be a "0" if the patient has not been to the hospital in the past 3 years (option A). This coding convention allows medical professionals to indicate in the patient's record that they have not had any recent hospital visits. The second-to-last number can be thought of as a flag or indicator for this specific condition.