The primary goal of this paper is to explore why information technology (IT) solutions such as electronic medical records (EMR) have failed to gain a foothold in the healthcare sector. Based on a review of extant research, we propose a framework for classifying the barriers to the adoption and diffusion of EMR in the healthcare sector. We map all barriers reported in the literature onto the classification scheme to demonstrate its efficacy. We conclude by suggesting potential opportunities for applying the classification framework to research and practice.