Objective To explore methods to measure the management level of Chinese hospitals in natural conditions of Chinese hospitals, for improvement of their operation efficiency. Methods The methodology of World Management Survey( WMS) was introduced, and the questionnaire was localized using expert consultation method. Double-blind telephone interviews were conducted to investigate the management level of Chinese hospitals in the four dimensions of standardized operation, performance monitoring, target setting and talent management. Results The management level of hospitals in China varied greatly from places. Among them, the hospital management scoring was found to range from 2. 50 to 2. 75 in most cases, averaging 2. 55. These hospitals scored relatively poor at the four specific management practices of hospital layout(2.48), performance communication(2.27), talents retention, and clarity and comparability of objectives(2. 45). Management level of a hospital was correlated to such factors as its history, ownership form, human capital and hospital size. Conclusions This study uses WMS methodology to quantify Chinese hospital management. The overall management level of Chinese hospitals is expected to improve with much gaps to cover. At this stage, it is imperative to solve the unbalanced and inadequate development of hospital management levels, among regions, hospital grades and forms of ownership.