The HSE spent over 200,000 euro on debt collectors in the Shannonside region in the space of 22 months.
The freedom of information figures highlight the money spent by public hospitals between January 2020 and October of last year.
It costs 80 euro to be seen in an emergency department, and 100 euro for an overnight hospital stay and if patients don't pay, the HSE refers the debt to collection agencies after a period of time.
Tullamore Regional Hospital recorded the highest locally at 86, 172 euro while a further 59,799 was spent by University Hospital Galway.
Mullingar Regional Hospital paid debt collectors a sum of 40,018 euro while Sligo University Hospital recorded payments of 12,741 euro.
Portiuncula and Roscommon hospitals were the lowest in the region paying 5534 and 540 euro respectively.
Stephen McMahon, from the Irish Patients Association, says it's a waste of money.
