What is it called when an item in the patient's record points to a record that doesn't exist while fixing Scotty related issues?

• A. Dead link
• B. Missing reference
• C. Broken pointer
• D. Orphan reference

Answer: (C)

When a record contains a field that points to another record, that link assumes the target exists. If the target record has been removed or never created, the reference can no longer be resolved. In data and software terminology this is a broken pointer, also called a dangling reference, because the pointer still exists but its target is invalid. This matters in patient records because it breaks data integrity and can cause errors when the system tries to fetch the linked record.

Other terms don’t fit as precisely in this context. A dead link is usually used for web pages where a hyperlink goes to a resource that’s unavailable. A missing reference suggests the field is empty, not pointing anywhere. An orphan reference might be used in some domains to describe linked data with no parent, but the standard way to describe a link that targets a non-existent record is a broken pointer.